Differences Made
by alchemichelper101
Summary: "The differences you made don't really matter. They won't change the course of anything." Said the voice around her; an entrapment of truth and reality in those words. AlXOC EdXWin
1. It all started here

A/N: I would like to thank Ms. Madeline Cullen, a very kind person who actually offered me to beta read this story, for making this fanfic more presentable and worth-reading than before. So to those writers there who are reading this I recommend her if you want your stories to be revised. Just read her fine work below and you will be amazed...-wink-

I'd also like to thank Ms. Princess dela Luna for recommending this story...the very reason why I met Ms. Cullen to edit this has-been-crappy story...well i hope it's not now...

So I'll hope you'll enjoy reading this and review if you like it or not...

Please note the prologue is in First person point of view to convey the thoughts of the protagonist properly and more thoroughly.

**Co-author:** **Madeline Cullen**

Chapter 1: It all started here

I stood in a large, dark basement, trying my hardest and only god knows how many numerous times to open the gate to Shambala, the parallel. I am no fool, therefore, I know that it is impossible to do such a thing in our world seeing as alchemy is considered a failed experiment and simply a fairy tail for greedy people. Yet, ever since I began receiving these visions…premonitions of two boys, brothers, named Edward and Alphonse Elric attempting to resurrect their mother, Trisha, through the alchemic sciences. I have no clue why this started; nevertheless, my curiosity getting the best of me, I delved into the world of alchemy, reading any books I found on it, trying ample times with different arrays to open the passageway, or in laymen's terms, The Gate.

My mother always objected to my statements, completely dismissing my words saying, verbatim, "There is no such thing as alchemy." I do not believe it. I know my visions are not just a couple of hallucinations or horridly vivid nightmares, they are real. And they are haunting my every waking moment, pushing me over the brink of sanity.

"It's only a dream, nothing more," My mom's words would echo through my mind. That's what she keeps on telling me whenever I weep over the events that seem to flash before my eyes every single time the sun set. Yes, I love her with all my heart, but as days, months, _years_ pass, and my slips before my eyes, I cannot bring myself to deny the fact that these premonitions are, indeed, real. Every bit as much as the cement under my feet or the air I breathe.

The torturous scenes play over in my head like a busted CD player, being cruel and abusive to my psyche.

Not only am I frightened of these horrible visions, especially if I do not _do_ anything about them, but I feel responsible for them. It is almost as if they are begging me, on their metaphorical knees, to move about, to get a move on and fix or prevent them from happening. So, I have long ago decided to somehow reach the brothers' world, and help them no matter what the consequence.

I narrowed my eyes at the circle as I erase and reconstruct a part of it. _I am gonna open that damn gate and pass through it if it's the last thing I do!_I thought rather obstinately, brushing the loose scarlet tresses away from my face, only to have them return.

Studiously, I examined the array, inspecting for any flaws. The massive monstrosity took up every available space in the basement…not to mention the amount of time I put into it.

I gave a resigned sigh. Here I go again, pathetically trying to perform a transmutation…_again._ But no! I already decided I was _not_ going to give up!

_If alchemy was just_ possible _in this world…_

I shook my head irately, a cascade of crimson locks flying all about. This was so frustrating, and my hope was declining at a steady rate as is… _Get a grip of yourself! This will work! This will work! It just has to!_

I placed my hands tentatively on the circle, tightly shutting my eyes to concentrate, letting my knowledge if alchemy envelope my every conscious thought. I remained in that state for what felt like an eternity, every passing second tearing any shred of hope I had away from me. That is, until an iridescent yellow glow reached my eyes. I opened them, watching as the array, shining in all it's glory.

_It worked…?!_

I couldn't help but smile as it continue to glow, but then that swiftly shifted to unadulterated terror when it started to crackled, hiss, the lights turning a smoking purple, then inky black.

_What's happening?_I thought frantically, yet every single thought froze, shifting to a more horrific one. The little hands that were coming from the center of the array, grabbing hold of my leg; I scrambled away to no avail as they enveloped my entire frame, pulling me in and in front of a monumental gate. A single gate, the size of a house, in a vast void of a white nothingness.

It almost felt like it was one of my dreams.

"**Foolish human…"** A deep, rumbling voice echo from what seemed to be the gate, confirming that this is indeed reality. Just hearing the haunting voice caused goose bumps to arise on my skin. I clenched my fists in anger, how could I be such a coward at a time like this? I had to be brave!

"WHO ARE YOU?! SHOW YOURSELF!" I bellowed at the gate, looking from side to side waiting for some creepy man to come out from behind it.

"**Ha ha ha, my, my, you're new here, yet you already got that attitude."** It said, the amusement in its voice ringing clear.

"Let's cut to the chase, I need you to do something." I began calmly. It simply interrupted, cackling maniacally. My eyes narrowed into a glare, half in annoyance, and half in complete fury. _This thing has some issues with mockery._

"**What might a useless human like****_you_****want from me?"**It questioned me, most likely humoring the puny creature that was set in front of it.

I exhaled shakily before responding to the question.

"Let me pass through Shambala…to Amestris." I said with all the confidence I could muster. A long silence then ensued, until it was harshly broken by the ominous laugh of the gate. _How much more does this thing intend to humiliate me?_

"**And what can you possibly give as equivalent exchange?"**It asked, causing bile to rise up into my throat. I had just focused on opening the gate, I never paid mind to the other parts.

My jaw trembled as I gritted my teeth, calculating an answer. _There is no time for thinking things like this!_I thought heatedly, and with that, I just blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"Just take whatever you want from me." _Smooth move idiot_, I scolded myself, ruing my decision almost as soon as I made it.

And again, the stupid thing laughed right at me. I have no idea what it finds amusing about this situation. _I swear, if this guy were standing in front of me, I'd have thrown him around so much he'd be nothing but shredded pieces._

"**How pathetic! You don't even have the slightest thing to offer-"**The voice suddenly halted from its ridiculing rant, which confused me. I looked at the door way, no doubt that the uncertainty was showing on my face.

"**It's you."** It trailed off. I furrowed my brows, this gate was downright cryptic…and it had no shame about it. Or was it really confused about something?

"What about me? I asked curiously, staring at the doorway, trying desperately to find a reason for its sudden and unexpected silence.

As far as I could deduce from the stony quiet, it was definitely afraid of something, either that, or stupidly surprised.

"**Someone has passed here to the other world, your world, not that long ago…and now it is you that wants to pass to the world of Shambala. Are you the prophesy?"**

I scowled in exasperation. This thing was loopy. _A prophesy? Me? You got to be kidding me…I have no time for this useless crap!_

"Look pal, I didn't come all the way here to have some sorry ass lessons from a damn gate, nor do I care about whatever you are ranting about! I'M HERE TO PASS THROUGH THE FRICKIN'-"

"**You can pass through."**I abruptly stopped from my ramblings and the bodiless voice a hesitant look. _Now he's kind enough to let me pass through? Talk about mood swings…_

"**Under one condition." ****It continued.**_Guess not…_

"What is it?" I asked, defiantly putting my hands on my hips.

"**It's just a little fee you have to pay."**It commenced. Unconsciously, I leaned in, anxious for its reply. **"You must give up your memories about everything from your world…your family, your friends,****_everything _****related to it_."_**

Everything froze as my mind seemed to stop functioning properly at the words that were just uttered. _Give up my memories…?_ I stared at the gate blankly; it had just given a life altering decision to an eleven year old.

"**It's your choice, human, lose your memories or I'll send you back to your world empty-handed. It's not that bad of a deal, isn't it? Since I won't be taking anything from you if you decided to back away."**

I thought diligently, finding difficulty in coming to a rational conclusion. _Giving up my memory of my world is like losing my whole life, but giving up this opportunity is like everything I did to come to this point would be for nothing._

I then glanced back at the gate with conviction.

"Didn't I tell you earlier to just take whatever you want from me?" I asked rhetorically, an arrogant grin in place.

"**Very well then…"**The giant gate cracked open, revealing the black tentacles poking out of it. They wrapped all over my body and hauled me inside, clawing at my head, the worst agony ever crushing me. _What have I gotten myself into?_


	2. Here they meet

A/N: This chapter has been revised again by Ms. Cullen. She did an amazing job so please it...and review.

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Chapter 2- Here They Meet

Resembool, Amestris; February 11, 1910

The dark spiraling vortexes of onyx, the sharp beams of light and dark, the incredibly harsh rain, pelting anyone who was foolish enough to set foot outside of their homes…and yet, someone was lying in a field.

Crimson locks stuck to her torso and naval, eyes beginning to flutter open, revealing irises the color of blood. She seemed to be around the age of eleven, seeing as she was small and hardly developed.

Said child, blinked continuously, reaching a hand out to rub her eye. She grunted slightly, the throbbing pain in her temples lighting her temper. She pushed herself up, teeth clenching from her aching head.

"Ugh…me head…" She muttered, getting up to her feet while attempting to shield her eyes, the cold water feeling nice on her head.

"Where …am I?" She asked no one, turning her head this way and that, trying to determined where she was…and was met by a yellow house with the name "Rockbell Automail."

"Resembool?" She stated more than asked. Then it came to her, a large grin of triumph overtaking her features. "I made it!" She whispered to herself gleefully.

A shiver passed through her body, so she wrapped her hands around herself, looking down into the nearest puddle; an inquisitively foreign face stared up at her.

_Who is that? _She stayed like that, simply staring at the reflection for many moments, until a startling thought came to her, along with the words of the gate**. **

_**You will lose all of your memories of your world; your family, your friends…everything**__._

_So that means the person in the puddle…is me. _

She began to tremble, whether out of the cold air or the vice grip of fear which was holding onto her heart from losing all of her memories.

"I don't even…know who I am anymore." She murmured, broken, yet the tenor of anger seeping through. "That bastard…really took them."

_**You can pass through...for a little fee.**_

Little fee…

That was right; it was only a small amount to pay. She had absolutely no time for this, she did what she had to…

_I must stop them!_

She vaulted up and onto the road, sprinting through the rain blindly. She hadn't the faintest idea of where she was going, trusting her instincts to carry her in the correct direction.

But, she suddenly came to a halt, catching her breath in front of a tranquil look of inhabitance. In seemingly simultaneously, thunder roared and yet another vision over took her.

"_AL!" Edward yelled desperately, reaching his hand out for his younger brother._

"_BROTHER PLEASE!" Al responded frantically, trying to grasp Ed's hand. Edward inched forward a bit, grabbing Al with all his strength. He was certain he had grabbed a hold of him…but his hand was empty._

"_No…AL!"_

Her breaths came out in a torrent of gasps, horror shining in her eyes.

"God no…" Her fearful eyes cornered to the house, and then, without a second thought, she barged in.

"ED! AL!" She cried out, the house was empty, an eerie atmosphere completely engulfing it.

A young boy with hazel eyes snapped his head around to the door of the room, looking at it curiously.

"Brother, did you hear something?" Alphonse Elric, a small boy of ten years, asked h is older brother.

"You're hearing things Al; it's probably just a stupid cat," Edward Elric, even smaller than his younger brother, age eleven, replied exasperated.

Al sighed, not convinced with his brother's answer and also fairly doubtful of what they were attempting to do.

"Brother, are you sure-" But he was cut off.

"Don't start with me Al, we already decided this!" Edward said angrily, pushing himself to his knees, scanning the circle they had slaved over for hours. "We're going to bring her back, no matter what."

Thunder roared, causing the windows to shudder slightly, shadows dancing on the scared face of Alphonse. He was anxious of his brother's foolhardy determination. But it was not that he did not like that certain characteristic, no, in fact, his determination was amazing. It was the fact that he might be using it in the wrong way, making him the most stubborn eleven-year-old boy on the planet.

"Let's do this…" Ed announced, giving Al a nod. The former nodded, looking at array. _If there was just something that would stop this from happening, _Al wished.

Before they could do anything, the door of the room was practically ripped off of it's hinges, revealing a soaked, panting girl…who aimed a fierce ruby glare their way.

"ED! AL! YOU HAVE TO STOP THIS!" She hollered, despite her lack of air, gripping the door frame for her life.

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A/n: The next chapter will be beta-read soon...hope you'll wait for it..:)


	3. Doubts and regrets

A/N: Guess what, my beta, or should I say my co-author, Ms. Madeline Cullen, is back people! And yeah she worked on this chapter and now it's also more presentable than before like the two previous chapters.

Maddy(I can call you that right?): Thanks for the time you had for revising this! :D

12/02/2012: Before the world ends in 12/21/2012, I made it a point to myself to revise all the crappy chapters of this favorite story of mine haha. Though for this chapter since it's already beta-read, only a few changes here and there are made. :)

Chapter 3: Doubts and Regrets

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"ED! AL! YOU HAVE TO STOP THIS!" A girl hollered, no matter how much her lungs protested.

The brothers just gave her blank stares, regarding her quietly. Waist long red hair that curled at the end, matching eyes, a long sleeved blouse with a ribbon on her collar and a black skirt completed it all.

The clothes she was wearing…were odd, to say the least. They had never seen a thing like it.

However, one of the boys was thinking that she was actually rather pretty.

Yet, their attention turned to her current disheveled state—dripping from head to toe, more than likely from the screaming storm outside. She was panting fiercely, a terrified look marring her features.

"Uh…" was Ed's brilliant retort.

"Do we know you, miss?" Al asked politely, rising from where he had been squatting by the transmutation circle.

His only answer was how the girl gripped his shoulders, panicking and shaking him furiously.

"_Look_, you have to stop this. You have to stop your attempt to bring you mother back. It will fail, I'm telling you!" she said, her pleading tone all too clear to Al.

He just looked at her, crossed between confusion and surprise.

The drops falling from her drenched person began falling on the circle, and being chalk, it started erasing.

"Hey! Don't come near the circle! You're ruining it with all the water on you!" Ed complained loudly, pushing the girl with a violent shove, sending her onto the floor and consequently her bottom with a thump.

"_Brother!"_ Al scolded then smacked his older brother on the head.

"She's a girl! Mom told us boys don't hurt girls!" The younger of the brothers chastised wildly.

"She's ruining the array we've been working on for _hours_! And she's a complete stranger!" The older one reasoned with matching intensity, indignant at the fact that his younger brother just _hit_ him in the head like that.

As the brothers fought, the redhead got to her feet, then staggered over to them again.

"Stop it Al! This is stupid—Hey! I told you to—" Edward's ranting was cut off as the girl pulled him and Al out of the circle with her, hands clamping tight on their forearms.

"What the hell?!" Ed complained angrily.

She looked at them with the utmost gravity, enough so that both brothers immediately quieted.

"_Listen to me_, you have to _stop this_. I'm telling you, it will backfire," She told them.

Edward simply scowled at her, clearly have not believing her. "Why should we listen to _you_? First off, we _don't_ even know you, and secondly, you're just a kid," he shot back.

"Reality check; you're a kid too! And if you're really alchemists you should know that human transmutation is a forbidden taboo, no?" She snapped.

The two boys suddenly became all gloomy and dark, trying to hide their faces behind their hair.

The foreign girl looked at them with understanding, sighing in melancholy. She knew why they were so desperate to perform the forbidden. They just wanted to see _her_ again. But she knew that it would cause them the destruction of their lives, she knew she had to stop them. That's why she's here in the first place, right? Most probably, right?

_It's no use. They won't even _listen_ to me. But what if I tell them about my visions? Nah, they won't believe it either, _she thought, then looked at the downtrodden faces of the brothers.

_It's the only choice I have to make them believe me. It's worth a shot._

She glanced at the brothers once more, bracing herself to tell them her darkest secret; one that she had originally decided to tell no one, no living creature at all.

"I know this is hard to believe, but this is why you should believe me."

Ed and Al looked at her intently, giving her their full attention.

"I have visions, see, ones where I can perceive the past and the future—_hell_, I don't even know which is which anymore. It's really confusing, and I hate them because I don't even know why I have them," her tiny fists curled into a ball as the confusion she had felt in front of the gate crawled back to her.

She _really_ hate explaining things.

Especially if those things were meant to be private.

But she had no choice, she had to make these idiots believe her so that the nonsense would come to an end.

"I know that it sounds bizarre, but these visions are the reason that I'm here, trying to stop you. I saw how you performed the human transmutation, I saw _everything_, and it really isn't a…nice thing to talk about." She ended quite weakly, hands falling to her sides.

Both brothers' eyes seem to dilate at her explanation, noticing how her voice shook with horror or whatever terrors she had seen in it.

"It…it backfired. Badly," she said, fear lacing her once firm voice. Just those words alone could cause her to go into a rather vivid and distastefully real flashback.

"Wuh—What do you mean…it backfired?" Al dared to ask. He tried to keep in mind what the girl was saying did not match up. At least from a logical and scientific stand point. But the vibes…the feeling he had had previously, all leading up to this point…that bad taste in his mouth and the horrible churning in his stomach. He _did_ feel like something was going to go wrong.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to continue. "Ed loses an arm and a leg, Al loses his body, and worst of all, you didn't even successfully bring her back."

As soon as the statement was finished, the brothers gasped in horror at the picture the girl painted.

Al began to grasp what the girl was saying, even began accepting it as truth, while Ed balked and looked at her sternly.

"Who are you? Are you just some kid from the village trying to pull a prank on us?" he asked annoyed.

"No, I'm—"

"But you're not from around here, are you? What's your name?" Al asked, his fear momentarily being replaced with politeness.

The girl, however, flinched.

She certainly wasn't ready for that.

_Name…name…let's see….good grief! I can't even remember my own_ name! she though hysterically, looking at the brothers nervously.

"Forget about my name, you have to—"

"He asked you a question, what's your name?" Ed cut her off, staunching her attempt at switching the subject.

Again she flinched, but this time the brothers noticed.

_C'mon, just think of some random name…_she turned her head away from the brothers, as if looking for something. Her eyes then landed on a pile of books scattered on the floor.

"Catherine Ederson," she spat, though still uneasy.

_Picking up some author's name for yourself, way to go genius,_ she though sarcastically.

"Catherine Ederson?" Ed said, testing the name out.

She began to sweat. The name wasn't suspicious!

Or was it?

"Yeah, I think I heard of that name from somewhere…" Al said thoughtfully, gaining a nervous squeak from Catherine.

Oh, gosh, it _was _suspicious!

They were going to find out!

"Ahem," she coughed tensely, cutting off their train of thoughts. "Enough about that, let's just go home now to the Rockbells and have some nice cocoa," she announced, grasping the sudden distraction and the brothers' wrists as well.

Edward pulled his hand free, "Wait a minute! We didn't say anything about believing you, and how the heck do you know about the Rockbells?! We didn't tell you anything about them!"

"Like I said, I have visions. I know so much stuff that I never even wanted to know in the first place. Your past, your future! I know it sounds like crap, but it's all true! So just listen to me and let's get you both home!" she said, almost in a mothering way, reaching for Edward's hand again.

This time, both boys pulled free.

"What do you think you're doing?!" she asked angrily.

"Not believing you!" Ed answered matter-of-factly.

"But I have to agree…what you are saying is…really unbelievable, Catherine," Al said kindly, however, he still earned a scowl from her.

She glared at them, stubborn dummies.

"Even if I didn't tell you, any sane person would know that human transmutation is extremely dangerous," Both their eyes widened at this, then glazed over in sadness.

"So, let's put it this way: I'm here, kind enough to stop you from being stupid and going against an alchemic law that will ultimately screw up your whole life forever!" Ed and Al visibly stepped back from her enraged state.

Then Edward clenched his fists tightly.

_It may be true, but…but…_he tried to justify the great risk he and Al were taking, since his previous justification was starting to sound weak.

"Do you understand me?" she asked, regaining her composure.

A pregnant pause enveloped the trio as the storm continued to blow.

"Yeah, we know it's crazy," Ed started, eyes hidden away by his bangs. "But we've already decided this, right Al?" he asked, glancing over at his younger sibling who looked at her and nodded determinedly.

"We're…we're going to do this no matter what. We have to bring her back. We need to," Yes, yes it was starting to sound like a stronger argument already.

Catherine looked up at them with utter disbelief, shaking furiously as the two turned away from her to start the taboo.

"NO!" she shouted, yanking at Al's arm and turning him to face her.

"_Please, _don't do it!" she please helplessly, eyes watering up.

Al looked at her guiltily, feeling sorry that such a cute girl was going to witness what they were going to do.

"Just go home," he said gently, but the girl only burst into tears, her little form shaking.

Al looked at her sympathetically.

"I'm telling you, you don't what to see what is going to happen. So please, just go," he said softly, holding the sobbing girls in the circle of his arms, remembering how Winry had reacted when they transmuted a doll for her on her birthday.

"You don't understand! I already saw what would happen! I already saw it! And I'm here to stop it from happening! So please, hear me out! Stop this!" she begged, more tears cascading down her face.

"That's _ENOUGH!_" Ed yelled, pulling the girl off of Al and dragging her out of the room.

She thrashed, trying to rip herself out of his hold.

"PLEASE! I'm begging you to not do it! _Please!_" the girl begged as Ed continued to pull her to the front door.

Al watched as his brother forcefully pushed the girl out.

He _wanted_ to believe her, but the thought of her reaction when she saw the transmutation reaction made him think it was for the best.

"Ed, listen to me—" she was cut off with Ed opened the front door and through her out to the slick road.

"I have had _enough_ of you phony future seeking or whatever it is! This is not some stupid game! So stop bugging us and get away from here!"

With that said, Edward slammed the door in Catherine's face, leaving her to be pelted by the rain, non-stop rain camouflaging her tears.

"NO! DON'T DO IT! PLEASE! IT'LL BACKFIRE! YOU WON'T BRING HER BACK!" she yelled desperately pounding her fists on the door, but to no avail.

"YOU IDIOTS! JUST LISTEN TO ME! DON'T DO IT! I'M BEGGING YOU!" She shouted angrily on the door, hoping they would hear her. A big blue glow from inside the house answered her and before she knew it, all the passages inside the house were blocked by transmuted dirt walls, which were created obviously by Edward. She began to shake with sobs again and slid helplessly on the door's smooth plane, pounding on the doorframe weakly a few more times.

"Don't do it, please." She sobbed softly on the door frame, pounding on it once more, kneeling completely on the wet ground, her bare legs stained by the wet mud underneath her.

"I...came all the way here, just to help you. I gave up all my memories to help you idiots. AND YOU PAY ME BACK WITH THIS!? YOU THICK-HEADED FOOLS!" she snarled, punching the wooden door with all her might, knuckles bruising. She continued to sob helplessly down on the raining sky like it's the end of the world.

_It's like coming here was useless. I gave up everything and have been dumped in this forsaken world to help a couple of brothers who won't even listen to a word I say, dammit!_ she punched the hard ground beneath her angrily, making her knuckles bleed along with the flowing water on the ground as she shook terribly with anger and tears.

_I don't even know who I am, my background. All I have in my freakin' life are sets of stupid visions… and I don't even know why I have them! Damn it! If I can just use alchemy and turn this house-_

Catherine halted from her train of thoughts in her insight. "That's it! Alchemy!" she said pounding a fist on her palm. For some reason, she had knowledge about alchemy, about its principles, formulas and everything. Maybe when she had passed through that gate...

"Arghh! There's no time for solving puzzles right now! I have to stop those fools!" she growled while ruffling her soaked hair. _Okay, first, I need to draw a circle._ Swiveling her head around, she found a chalk lying on the ground next to her.

With the writing tool on her hand, she began to draw a simple array she knew but unfortunately, by the bad weather beside her, the array was quickly washed away by the showering rain.

"Goddammit! Stupid rain! I can't draw a circle!" She complained heatedly as she persistently continued to draw another circle every time the rain washed it away.

"Ahhh! Dammit all!" she cursed then threw her chalk on the door, breaking it into pieces. She punched and kicked at the door, like some wild animal.

Then it hit her.

Alarm took over her as the glowing light continued to grow stronger in her sight despite of the concrete walls blocking the windows. They did it...THOSE IDIOTS!

"YOU FOOLS!" She screamed in pure anger and anguish as the rain continued to pour down on her form. She banged her fists with all the strength she has as if it will open any second in her demanding yelps.

"OPEN UP! OPEN THIS UP! I NEED TO STOP THEM! SO OPEN THIS UP DAMMIT!" She raged over the door which only stood still despite of her vigorous knocks. As she attempted to break through the door, the light then turned into purple - black. She halted from her wild actions then observed the glowing light. The black part of her eyes shrunk to dots in fear realization.

That light...the gate!

"OPEN UP! OPEN UP! PLEASE!" She screamed even louder, banging her fists with more force as her panic grew. The gate would do the same thing to them...it would take anything from them in return! The damn thing will take Ed's limbs and Al's body!

"GODDAMMIT WHY WON'T YOU OPEN UP!" She hollered; her strong punches on the wooden door slowly growing weak by the second. For the second time of the day, she slid her damped body on the door frame hopelessly, shaking her body with soft sobs. She momentarily connected her palms and rested her head on it dearly.

"I need to help them." She cried on her linked hands.

"SO OPEN UP ALREADY!" She yelled with all her power, banging her bare palms on the wooden doorframe. What happened next Catherine did not expect—the concrete object in front of her glowed a bright blue light and in mere seconds a passageway was presented to her.

She just sat there, ignoring the wetness her body has and the shelter the house is offering her, just looking at the freshly transmuted hole.

"What the? Wh- How...in.." She was caught off guard in utter surprise when she had done a transmutation without her knowing it. But there was no time for exploration, she has to help-

What she saw in the opened bedroom door made her world shatter into million pieces.

A suit of armor.

A bleeding, golden-haired boy in his metallic arms.

"Catherine...we got to help brother." Al's small voice echoed on the hollow suit of armor.

She was too late.

She didn't stop them, she didn't stop this.

All her sacrifices in coming to this foreign world were thrown away like trash to a landfill.

At that point, she began to regret ever trying to help the foolish, stone-headed brothers.

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A/N: Below is the link where you can view the face of Catherine Ederson.

i215 . photobucket albums / cc74 / velmalondon / 71kjh5 . jpg

It's not mine, I just grabbed from photobucket, seeing it's the closest thing I imagined Catherine to look like...if you like it thank Ms. velmalondon. (see her album in photobucket . com )


	4. No use of being here

A\N: Edited on 12/02/2012 for better reading experience. I didn't know I wrote so much crap at 14 years old.

Chapter 4: No use of being here

Catherine slowly rose from her sit on the wet ground, her gaze not leaving the armor with a bleeding Edward in his arms. Thunder roared, adding the tense and hopelessness of the situation.

"Please, we have to help brother." Al continued to plead as the girl slowly made her way to approach them, the expression on her face bordering on sympathy and anger towards them. Slowly, she walked over them.

After a good while, Catherine reached the brothers and knelt with Alphonse so she can see Ed's condition. "Catherine, we have to help brother." Al said in a small, scared voice of a 10 - year - old kid echoing in the hollow armor.

Catherine didn't give Al a gesture that she heard him and just look at Edward who was grimacing in pain of his open wounds where his limbs were supposed to be. "You fools. You stupid fools." Al was slightly taken aback by the girl's words but eventually glanced down in guilt. They didn't listen to her. They did not believe her. And here they are now, regretting for doing so.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry we didn't believe you." Al said sincerely, making the girl look at him with stone cold eyes.

"I'm really sorry. It's my fault." Ed butted in, his voice just choked out from his sore, tired throat. Catherine looked down at him, slowly smiling gently at him then at Al. Even her anger is drowning her; she can't pour them out on the feeble boys in front of her. Not just yet. It's quite surprising to her how much empathy these boys could emanate from her.

"C'mmon, let's get him to the Rockbells."

A girl with long blond hair and cerulean eyes watched every drop of rain ran through the window glass, hoping every minute of the night that Ed and Al will be back soon. Her eyes were full of fret and sadness, sitting in a wooden chair waiting expectantly for two figures to come in her sight so her loneliness would somehow be tamed.

"The storm hasn't calmed yet, I hope those two can make it here." Winry Rockbell didn't respond to her grandmother's statement, just continued to look at the blurry scenery on the window.

"Don't worry, dear. I'm sure they'll come back, like they always do. Just wait." Pinako said, making the 11 - year - old even gloomier.

Wait.

Since their mother died, that's all she could do to help them. To be a waiting family for them to go home to. They won't tell her a single thing about why they are always tired from studying and got home late in a daily basis. They just made her wait. For her, it's starting to get hurtful.

"I hope you're okay, Ed." She whispered to herself, hoping the strong wind can carry her message to the two brothers close to her heart, especially to the particular one.

Edward.

When her parents died, both he and Al tried their best to cheer her up, but to no avail, they didn't succeed. Al gave up easily and simply said to just give her space and everything will work out. But Ed didn't. He became persistent and always does all the things he can do to make the world brighter to her. He tried to play jokes on her, dragging her to the top of the hill to watch the sun set, giving her messy - made necklace flowers wherein he would proudly say, "And I didn't use alchemy on that!" At first, she became annoyed at him for not just leaving her alone like Al did, but his words made her sadness go away…

_"If you making you happy is annoying then I will annoy you for the rest of my life!" A little Edward said with a determined-smug look on his face." S_ince that day she returned to her, cheery, care - free girl she was, and the three of them started to play again, spending their whole days playing hide and seek, exploring the places that one of them discovered. Their lives were simple in those days, yet, so perfect as well.

But since Trisha died out of her unknown sickness, their days weren't the same anymore. The brothers became distant from her, always spending their times of digging alchemy books instead of playing in the fields like the other children in Reseembool do. They become so away from her. Especially Edward.

Yes, him.

She can see, through those golden orbs that the spark of a happy, simple kid spirit in him was slowly fading away. It was replaced by pure determination that she knows will drive him away from her. She was scared of that. Because she was afraid that he will be gone from her. Away from her. She already lost her parents, she doesn't want to lose a friend , too, in any other way.

Winry sighed as the rain continued to wet the outside world with its unending shower. _Please, let them be alright, let him be alright._As Winry continued to eye the road towards her house, a tall figure slowly makes its shape through the darkness of the night. Even through the noise of the pit patters of the rain, she could hear the thumps made by every step of the tall shadow. Winry slowly lifted her head upright to have a better view of the upcoming visitors. As the tall figure came near, a shorter figure can be seen forming on its side, walking beside him.

Winry slowly opened her half - lidded eyes and walked over to her grandma.

"Granny, I think someone's coming." Winry said to Pinako.

"Maybe it's the boys." Pinako simply said.

"No, it's tall-" A faint knock interrupted their conversation the Pinako turned to open the door.

"Well, what took-" Pinako was stopped in mid - sentence from fright at what came to visit them, making her drop her pipe soundly on the floor.

"Please, help him." A tall suit of armor spoke in a gentle voice, looking at them with blank eyes of his helmet. In his arms was Edward who has his eyes tightly shut and his teeth gritted in agony, his missing limbs replaced with heavy bleeding wounds.

"He's gonna bleed to death." The armor said, his voice shaking.

"Al ...?" Winry asked for confirmation, making Pinako look at her questioningly then at the strange armor on their doorstep.

"What are you waiting for? Put him to the surgery room!" Pinako almost yelled, making the armored boy to be surprised but obeyed the elder nonetheless.

"Winry, bring some bandages and fresh towels. And boil some water!" Pinako ordered and her granddaughter agreed without hesitation. She was about to close the door when she saw someone still standing on the open road, standing there while staring hardly into space.

"You idiot! Get inside! You're going to catch a cold!" Catherine was snapped back to reality by the old woman's rebuke. She lifted her gaze to her, looking pass her with ruby eyes.

"Don't just stand there! Get inside!" The red - haired girl obliged her and stepped on the porch then entered the house.

The door clicked closed and Pinako immediately walked to the hallway where the surgery room is. "You can dry yourself on the bathroom down the hallway. We have towels in there." The Rockbell stated, not giving a look on the dripping wet girl.

"Right, thanks." Catherine replied lightly and went over the direction of the bathroom, her mind blank and slightly confused.

An hour later, Winry managed to finish all the tasks her grandma instructed her, as well as damping a wet towel over the forehead of the burning boy. She sighed sadly and stood up from her sit from almost an hour now and walked over the door, giving a sad glance on the armor sitting on a corner of the room before exiting quietly. She toured to the kitchen to fetch herself a glass of water when she noticed an unfamiliar girl sitting on the dining area with a towel hanging around her neck, drying her waist long curly red hair difficulty with the piece of cloth, plus her still drenched clothing, which is awfully weird for Winry. She tried to look at the girl's face, but her bangs, which are covering almost of her right eye, gave her no luck. So she decided to just come over her.

"So, are you Ed and Al's friend?" Winry said, starting a light conversation as she sat in front of her. Catherine was slightly staggered by the girl's voice and looked over her with blank eyes.

"Not really, since we only met today." Catherine answered.

"So that's why your face is new to me. What's your name?" Winry concluded, giving the girl a warm smile. Catherine smiled back shyly; looking at the table like it's the most interesting thing in the house.

"Catherine...Ederson." She answered, trying her best to get used to the foreign name she picked from a random book.

"Okay…I'm Winry Rockbell. Nice to meet you." She responded with a warm smile.

"I already have." Catherine hissed to herself.

"Excuse me?"

"Ah...no, I mean, nice to meet you too." She said uneasily, giving herself a mental whack on the head for voicing out her past visions. Winry looked at her quite suspiciously. She really has to work on her lying habits. Even Ed could have done better.

"You have weird clothes; you're not from around here, are you?" Winry asked once again, gaining another look from the red - haired girl.

"Yeah." She replied slowly. Winry looked at her curiously, wondering why she was acting so fidgeted and nervous around her.

"You don't have to be shy. You're Ed and Al's friend, so it makes you my friend as well." Winry said with a cheeky grin. Catherine smiled back at her, giving Winry her small 'thanks'.

"So, where are you from?" Winry asked again, gaining another uneasy look from the girl. She wasn't nervous. It's just she has no answer for the blonde girl's question. So she just remained silent, not having the courage to tell her or maybe anyone that she has no memories of her person. The young mechanic eyed her worriedly, feeling that she said something wrong.

"Why don't you change to some dry clothes while I prepare some hot coco for us?" Winry asked kindly, changing the subject in empathy for the girl is obviously disturbed about her personal questions. Catherine, in return, gave her a small smile for her understanding.

"Yeah, that would be great." she said gratefully.

"Just wait here while I get some of my sundresses." Winry informed here walking towards her room upstairs.

"Wait." Catherine called her, making Winry look at her over her shoulder. "Can you just give me some loose shirt and shorts? I think it's more comfortable." Catherine requested while holding the back of her neck shyly. Winry blinked once before nodding her yes then went up to her room. Catherine continued to survey her as she made it upstairs, when an unexpected vision blocked her mind...

_"I win! I'm gonna marry Winry!" A younger Edward said, pointing a finger on Winry who just stood there, having no clue of the whole situation._

_"No! You cheated! I'm gonna marry Winry!" A little Al argued back._

_"You're not!"_

_"Am too!"_

_"Not!"_

_"Too!"_

_"STOP IT!" The arguing brothers turned their backs from each other with a snobby huff, but continued to throw glares back and forth through their shoulders._

_Winry looked at them, anger rising on her cheeks as she walked over the two brothers and smacked them both on the head, yearning loud whines from them._

_"Winry! That hurt!" Ed complained over her. "I'm not gonna marry either of you! YOU JERKS!" She yelled at them, making the two have their disappointed look on their faces._

_"Why won't you marry me, Winry? I'm not rude like brother." Al defended._

_"Hey!"_

_"Because you're just a little brother to me, Al." Winry answered plainly, making Al frown sadly._

_"And what about me?" Ed asked, his angry face not leaving his features. It took a moment for Winry to answer until she placed her hands on her hips. "Because you're short! I don't want to date guys shorter than me!"_

The vision was cut off, sending Catherine back to her world. As she slowly contemplated the vision, she couldn't help but to chuckle in amusement.

"I can't believe that shrimp has a love life." She muttered to herself and snickered at the unexpected information. Not all of these visions were that bad after all.

After twenty minutes or so, Catherine was already in dry clothes she requested from Winry with a hot coco in her pale hands, her long crimson hair braided in one side so it will rest on her shoulder, bangs still hanging over her right eye. She made herself comfortable by sitting on one corner of the hallway. She doesn't know what had gotten to her to choose a hallway to relax on, sitting here just made her feel alone, and well she wanted to be alone for the time being. Winry had already got herself to the room where Ed is, maybe changing the towel in his forehead to cool down his fever.

Catherine sighed heavily and took a sip of her hot coco. Now that she failed to stop the brothers from performing the taboo, she has no use to them now, to this world. Her labors of getting in here are of no use. She gave her cup a vice grip, not paying mind that it burned her soft hands, anger rising on her at the thought. She came to this world - for nothing. She gave up her memories - for nothing. She did all of this - for nothing. Nothing.

She punched the floor next to her hardly, making her already bandaged knuckles to ache more. She was mad. Mad at the brothers for not listening to her. Mad at herself for being so lame and stupid for not being able to stop them. She breathed her air rapidly, containing her raging anger within her.

"This is a choice a made. The path I chose. So, I have nothing to do but get over with it." She hissed and released another heavy sigh. She just couldn't believe her life was ruined _by this_. It's just like a simple snap then her life turned upside down. Her silence was interrupted with a door being opened and closed. She lifted her head to see that the armored Elric just exited from the room. Even with his blank face, she could tell that he's looking at her quizzically.

"There's a living room if you want." Al offered, receiving a shook of the head from the girl.

"Nah, I prefer here. Just let me be." She said faintly, her eyes watching the smoke escaping from her cup.

It took a moment for Al to walk over her.

"Can I sit beside you?" he asked politely.

"Sure thing. It's not my hallway." Catherine said with a slight chuckle then sipped a little on her hot drink. She likes the guy's politeness, but, as they say, anything that is over quantity is no good. Al took the chance and sit on the girl's right side carefully so he couldn't make any noise with his metal body.

"Sorry we didn't believe you, we really are." Al said softly. Catherine looked over him, a weak smile forming in her face.

"Don't sweat it. Like it will change anything you and your brother have done." She knew that she sounded rude, but she only said what's on her mind. She isn't in the mood to choose her words right now. Not like she ever will. Oh to heck with it all. Al examined the girl with guilt then glanced at his feet, ashamed to face her. She's right, there's nothing that will change what they did.

"Sorry." Al said again, couldn't help himself to apologize repeatedly. They've been cruel to her. They've pushed her away when she's trying to help them. They've hurt her and their selves.

"I said don't sweat, Alphonse. You must not be sorry to me. You should be sorry for yourselves."

Al glanced at her, contemplating on what she said. She's right. They don't have to be sorry to anyone but their own selves, but looking on the way they treated her when she tried to help, they owe her a bigger apology. The armored boy continued to gaze at the girl and couldn't help himself to observe how the moonlight reflected on the girl's face. His eyes dropped on her ruby orbs, which has that faraway look on them. _I wonder what else she's so upset of..._Al wondered, his gaze jumping to the girl's bandaged hand which was stained with crimson blood.

"You hurt your hand?" Al asked, referring to her bleeding knuckles. She looked at her injury in return then sighed heavily.

"Nah, it's just a bruise." She simply replied. Al sighed, frustration overwhelming him at the girl's persistent coldness. From her bandaged hand, two silvery ring bracelets caught his eyes. In matched the oddity of her clothes earlier. From the looks of it, it seems to be simple and plain, but the way it glowed as the light hit it, it looked marvelous.

"Where did you get your bracelets? They're pretty." Al asked, trying to have a light conversation. Catherine, on the other hand, cringed at the question, then looked at her said accessory, trying to find the answer from the garment. She just remained silent, hoping that Al will just drop the topic, but he just remained silent as well, patiently waiting for her answer. Awkward silence passed them, or only for Catherine, then she decided to just say anything that comes to her mind.

"I...don't remember." She said honestly, surprising Al a bit. He then noticed that Catherine became dull again, her ruby eyes seemed to be, empty, like something is missing from her lonely soul.

"How about your home? Where do you live?" Even from her side - viewed face and her bangs blocking the way, her widened eyes are not invisible from him. She just remained frozen in her seat on the floor, not able to look on the armor beside her. A long silence passed them as Al came to a conclusion he regrets to say but did nonetheless.

"You lost your memories, didn't you?" Catherine gasped, her body frozen like ice. Al just watched her initial reaction; her actions are enough answer to his question. She just remained in her state for a while, and then looked away with eyes willing to look anything but the boy beside her. It's no point of hiding anything from him now, since she's leaving them on the morning. And, for some strange reason, she has that feeling that she can trust anything to this person.

She smiled, closing her eyes shut so he won't see the tears forming in her eyes.

"A gate." She began, with her eyes still closed, placing her half - filled mug on the floor. Al made a sound of confusion.

"A gate asking for my memories...black figures...flashes of knowledge about alchemy...a blinding white light...that's all I can remember before I was dropped into this world. Things before that nightmare were history to me." She finished, looking at the wall opposite to them with fierce eyes of a hawk. He can feel the burning resentment radiating from her.

"I can't even remember why he was asking for my memories. Why I confronted him in the first place. It's like those parts of my memory were stripped away..."

"All I have were a bunch of visions about your human transmutation, so I have no left objectives but to stop you both. It's like it's the only reason of my being in this world...but since you did it already, I have nothing to do with you anymore." Al froze on the girl's words, pure sadness and hurt filling his heart at her decision.

"Catherine, you don't-" He was cut off by Catherine's sudden laughter. A fake, sad laugh.

"Don't worry, I'll never forget you both, especially you. You're the only one that I told about this, so I trust you into that." She said, looking at Al with a small smile. Al didn't let the chance to look at her eyes to slip. Through the holes in his metal head, he gazed into those deep, red eyes, eyes that can see a distance that no one can. Just looking at them made him feel overwhelmed by the secrets those eyed hid. But at the same time, he could determine the emptiness they have. The prominent space her soul has.

_Maybe her lost memories made her like this…so dull and empty._

Pinako then appeared from Ed's room, looking at the two questioningly.

"We have our living room you know." Pinako stated in her usual rough, hoarse voice, earning a laugh from the red - haired girl who slowly got on her feet.

"Yeah, we know. It's just more comfy here, right, Al?" She said cheerily, looking down at Al for his answer.

"Uhhh...Yeah..." He replied weakly, his mood couldn't cope up with the girl's sudden lightheartedness. He couldn't understand how could she be so happy all of a sudden after what they have talked about, but figured out that it's only her cover for her depression.

"I'm leaving first thing in the morning, thanks for the hospitality Ms. Rockbell." She informed, starting to make her way to the living room.

"Are you sure? You don't have any friends around here I suppose, we don't mind if you stay here any longer." Pinako said kindly, puffing a smoke from her pipe.

"Thanks for the offer, but no thanks." She refused, walking towards the living room. This convinced Pinako enough and let the girl be.

"We have a spare room upstairs."

"I'll go for the sofa." She replied, her back facing them as she disappeared to the living room. Pinako sighed tiredly, her aching old muscles wearing her out.

"Why is she so deciduous to leave?" Pinako asked the obviously poignant Al.

"She...just wants to."


	5. Her departure

**A/N: Edited on 12/02/2012**

Chapter 5 – Her departure

Night blanketed the earth and putting its living creatures to deep slumber, except for one.

Alphonse Elric, with his sleepless body, curled himself in one corner of his brother's room, the feeling of unaccompanied slowly eating him. He slowly lifted his head to gaze at the starry sky shown in the window, remembering the good old days when he, Ed and Winry gaze on them together every night.

But this night was different. It was just him gazing at the twinkling stars tonight. All alone. And thought that this will be his night for the rest of his life. He, even with an inhumane body, breathed out a depressed sigh. This was just too unspeakable to take for a 10 – year – old boy like him. A child like him was supposed to enjoy life to the fullest with childish games and routines. But their mistake changed their lives forever.

_Let's just put it this way…I am kind enough to stop your insanity from performing a stupid taboo that will screw your lives forever!_

Catherine's words rang on the armored boy's head like a booming alarm. Forever. Will they stay like this for the rest of their lives? Ed missing his limbs? Him missing his whole body? He couldn't think for an answer for that or…he was just afraid that what he's thinking would come to reality.

Al sighed in detachment. "We used to think that nights passed so fast, but without anyone with me now, nights surely take forever." He said to himself, solitude laced on his echoing voice. He remained in absolute silence for hours, thinking nothing but his misery of surviving a night alone, until faint noises were heard from outside of the room, particularly from the living room area.

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"_Give me what's precious to you." A voice said from nowhere. This made the red – haired girl to panic and run hysterically in the endless white space of nothingness. As she ran for her dear life, black tentacles began to hurry on her way, reaching for her legs._

"_Stay away from me!" She said in a trembling voice of fear. But the black figure seemed to not hear any of that and wrapped its dark hands on her, sending her to fall on her face._

"_I SAID STAY BACK!" She squalled, wriggling her way out of the deathly grip._

"_Give me your memories." The voice ordered._

"_NEVER! LET ME GO!" She howled back but the grasp just tightened even more. She didn't give up and tried her best to escape the creature from hampering her. She was suddenly halted when a giant eye twice her size shown itself above her, looking at nothing but her. She was immobilized with horror as the eye gave up more and more black tentacles from it, moving to her body._

"_Let me go." She sobbed hopelessly and growled in pain as one of the black figures clutched her head ever so fiercely, as if it's trying to make her skull explode._

"_Give me your memories…or they will all die." The voice said and numerous dark shapes stretched towards her…_

"NO!" She screamed, and found herself sitting on the sofa she's been sleeping on hours ago, panting hardly with beads of sweat forming in the corner of her face. She just had a nightmare. It was just a dream.

She couldn't figure out if she will be relieved to find that it's just a dream or to be scared for having such one. So she just stared on the wall opposite to her, the terror still fresh in her mind.

"Catherine? Are you okay? You're having a nightmare and I tried to wake you up but-"

"Are you here the whole time?" She asked, her breathing slowly coming back to normal.

"No…but I heard most of it."

"I was talking in my sleep?" She asked with chagrin.

"No…you were screaming." As Al said this, she cringed at how afraid she got in that dream, and somebody just seen her like this. She glanced at the clock and noticed it's just 3 o' clock in the morning and the darkness hasn't left yet.

"What did you dream about?" Al asked softly, trying to comfort the girl somehow. Catherine trembled at the memory of the nightmare. Dreams are supposed to be erased from your mind once you woke up, but this one just won't leave her alone.

"It's nothing." She replied and laid herself down on the soft cushion, trying to get back to sleep. Al examined her carefully, figuring that she just don't want to talk about it. For someone who he just known for almost two days, he had learned how her attitude goes for just a short period of time, well, in a way. She's quite readable for someone so secretive. The armor continued to watch her until Catherine turned to face him.

"Are you gonna watch me till morning?" She asked gullibly.

"Well…I can't sleep with this body, and you probably need somebody to wake you up when you have another nightmare so, why not?" Catherine blushed crimson red matching her hair, feeling a weird knot in her stomach at the idea of someone or some guy watching her sleep until the sun rise and thanked the darkness for hiding it. She momentarily shook her head to shoo the blush away and turned her back on Al.

"Shut up, I can't sleep with you gawking around. I need to wake up early in the morning so just go away." She said in a muffled voice with her face mostly buried in one of the pillows. Catherine waited for the clanking steps of the armor but they didn't come. She shot up to sitting position again and glared at Al through the darkness. He just looked back at her blankly and it was obvious that he didn't move an inch.

"Didn't you hear me?" She stated more than questioned, irritation laced in her voice.

"You know, you really don't have to go." Al stated. Catherine growled at him, knowing pretty well of the sudden change of topic.

"I don't have anything to do here anymore, so I must leave as soon as possible and that's in the morning." She retorted sternly and let her body fall on the soft sofa once more, not wanting to have this talk anymore. Al glanced at her, tired with her hard – headedness for not even considering what he said.

"But we're the reason why you lost your memories and been separated from your world! This is the only retribution to the trouble we caused you! And we might help you regain your memories back if you want so please…" Al convinced, the want for the girl to stay with them getting the better of him. He doesn't get it, but there's something tells him that he'll regret the time when he let her leave them. Besides, they do owe her to just let her leave like that.

Catherine Ederson managed a small, sad smile. He really is way too polite for her liking.

"I'll figure how to retain my memories back myself. You don't have to keep a burden like me around anymore and I don't want to stay here any longer." She answered back, her words seemed to hurt Al badly, making him speechless for the matter of time.

Catherine slowly closed her eyes, her slumber entering her exhausted body.

"Goodnight, Al."

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Morning came and the golden rays of the sun graced on the sleeping face of the golden – haired boy, bothering his peaceful slumber. He slowly jolted his eyes and adjusted them on the brightness of the room. He quickly sat up straight but almost lost his balance because of his missing limbs. He looked at his situation for a while until realization slowly hit him.

"Oh right…that night." Edward Elric muttered incoherently to himself, failure could be seen all over his face as he remembered the events of the transmutation. It all seemed perfect at first, but it backfired like the strange girl said. Someone gave the heart to stop them, but they didn't listened. He didn't listen. Al was about to believe the girl, he knows it. But because of him, Al lost his whole body.

"It's all my fault…" He blamed himself, ashamed of himself for causing something like this to the only family he had.

"_Please…he's the only family I had…please…give me back my little brother!"_

Edward balled his left hand at the horrible memory. Al is the only family he had, but he didn't do anything but pull him with his stupidity, his mistake.

"It's all my fault…I'm sorry." He said in a hoarse voice, his throat still too tired to speak.

"It's not your fault Edward. Please keep that in mind." A feminine voice said in his side. For a second he thought it was an angel talking to him because of the softness of her melodic voice because of the solid reassurance it gave to his troubled heart but confirmed that it's just his best friend Winry sitting with him in the bed, her blue eyes gazing at him sadly. Ed looked away from her with a pink blush creeping his face, embarrassment taking over him at thought that she sees him like this – so hopeless and pathetic.

Winry sighed in both relief and heaviness, thanking that the boy she known all her life is in good shape – well not exactly – but he's fine. He's alive.

"I'm glad you're okay, Ed. I'm so worried about you." She said gently, placing a hand over his shoulder. Instead of feeling gratitude over his friend's thoughtfulness, guilt ate him in that instance. He didn't only cause something to Al, but also to Winry. He made her worry because she cares about him. The care he doesn't deserve.

"You don't have to worry, Win. Everything will be fine." This didn't convince Winry much and glanced at Edward with aggravation. She knew that Edward's planning something out of her mind and it disturbed her to death.

"You're planning something stupid, aren't you?" She voiced her thoughts, purposely making it sound suspicious. Edward closed his eyes, thinking if he would tell her. He had known her since birth so he has no reason not to trust anything to her, but, he must have an exception this time. She doesn't deserve a heavy weight on her shoulders.

"I can't leave Al with that armor forever. I have to do something." Ed reasoned out, his eyes sparkled with determination. Winry creased her eyebrows in worriment.

"But you're not gonna leave me, are you? You're going to do that here, right?" She asked hopefully. Edward cast his eyes to her carefully, remorse seen in his face. He knew they're going to leave her, but he didn't think that he has the courage to tell her.

"Please, don't leave. Don't leave me like mom and dad." She cried, tears freely flowing from her eyes. He faced away from her; the sobs are enough to break his heart. Maybe he's the one who helped her recovery in her parents' lost, but now he's the cost of her tears.

"You have to understand, Winry. We have to do this. You know us, we'll be okay." Ed said reassuringly, smiling softly at her. She continued to sniffle, a pout forming in her face. She then stood up from the bed and looked at the boy with fierce eyes, making Edward back away slightly by her sudden actions. It really hurts, having them away soon, but…

She has to be strong. For them.

"Winr-"

"I won't allow you to go anywhere." She announced sternly, her fists shaking furiously in her sides. Edward surveyed the girl's hands for a wrench, the fear for a broken skull coming crawling at the back of his head.

"Unless you learn how to drink your milk, bean!" She cried which surprised Edward a bit. Even with the height joke, he couldn't help but smile. Maybe it doesn't sound like one but that's a yes from her.

"You know that won't happen! And who are you calling short?! Machine freak!" He shot back, returning to his old, short - tempered self again. Like hell he'll let her win even one round of their arguments.

"Oh yeah? Alchemy geek!" Winry responded equally, sticking a pink tongue out for good measure.

"Oh shut up." He retorted back with fondness with a small smile. "Thanks for understanding us, machine junkie." Ed said with a snicker.

"Whatever, alchemy midget." Winry told in her sweetest voice, and started to laugh when Edward started to heat up. Maybe she did push her luck too hard.

"WHO ARE YOU A CALLING A TINY SPEC YOU MACHINE NERD!" Edward shouted at the top of his lungs. All he got was a push put on his bare chest, laying him down on the bed.

"Don't tire yourself. You need your rest in order to grow." Winry said in a motherly tone.

"You're just the same with the old hag! You-" Before Ed could finish his sentence, a warm kiss was pressed in his flushed cheek. Winry raised herself and smiled down at him who had that blank face on.

"Rest well." With that she exited the room, leaving a red – faced Edward.

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"Are you sure you're gonna leave?" Al asked to the girl at the doorstep who is adjusting her shoes by tapping them on the hard ground.

"Like I answered you before, yes, I'm leaving." Catherine said annoyingly. She was in her own clothes now, white long – sleeved blouse with a red ribbon on its collar and a black skirt which she really isn't comfortable with. She has no suitcase or anything to bring, considering she's practically new to this world and doesn't have any belongings of her own.

Al let out a down-spirited sigh. "Okay if that's what you want." Al said hesitantly. Catherine gave him a small nod and turned on her heels. She climbed down the porch's three-step stair and was about to make her way to the real road when a rather big dog tackled her to the ground.

"DEN!" Al called out at the furry dog licking the small girl under her with delight.

"Ah! Dog slime! Get this thing off me!" She cried as she tried to make her way out of the dog's wet greeting. As if on cue, Den let go of Catherine and sat up in front of her with its tail waggling in a behaved manner.

"I'm so sorry about that." Al apologized as he reached the girl who looked up at him nonchalantly.

"Is this your dog?" She asked, pointing a finger to the pet who is panting at her wildly.

"Yeah, her name's Den." Catherine looked at the dog in the eyes weirdly until she was again licked by its watery tongue on the cheek.

"Ughh…I can see that she's a friendly one." She commented while wiping the dripping water in her face with disgust.

"Actually, Den's not that… sociable to strangers. It's very rare for her to like strangers." Al explained while petting the dog.

"Really?" Catherine said with slight bemusement and rubbed the dog's hair lightly. Den seemed to like it and brushed her slimed tongue across her cheek.

"Okay, that's enough I get it already." She said irately and stood up from the ground to dust her clothes off with Al chuckling on the side.

"Well, I got to get going now for real. Goodbye." Catherine said tonelessly, giving the dog one last look before making her way. From their ground, Den looked up to Al's towering armor and made a sad sound. Al glanced down at her, then to Catherine's disappearing form.

"I know. It's too bad she's leaving already, huh?"


	6. A soldier's appearance

**A/N: Edited on 12/16/2012**

Chapter 6 – A soldier's appearance

It was afternoon when Edward woke up from his sleep this morning. He glanced around the room to find his brother who hasn't shown up himself since the incident. The only creature his eyes have searched was a small blonde sleeping peacefully in his bed in a sitting position. He noticed the bowl of water and towel in the bedside drawer and figured out that it's the reason his fever has cooled down now.

Edward lightly shook the girl's shoulder. "Winry, wake up. Where's Al?" Edward asked to the half – awake Winry.

"Ed? Oh, Al's with Den in the backyard, I think." Winry answered in a groggy voice, her sleepiness still not leaving her body. Edward frowned; worry crawling away in his mind.

_Maybe he's mad at me, for everything that happened. For everything that turned wrong. _He thought balmily, guilt rising in him. Winry noticed this after she got herself awake and put a friendly hand on his shoulder for action.

"Whatever you're thinking Edward, just letting you know that Al is not blaming you for this. Nobody does, Ed." Winry said in her gentle voice. She really could read his mind sometimes.

"That's the point, Win. Nobody blames me for what I have done, which is _very _wrong. So I'm blaming myself for it." Edward stated rather harshly, bringing small tears to form in the girl's eyelids. "He's going to blame me anytime soon anyway."

"Edward." Winry mentioned his name ever so softly. In those two syllables she managed to explain what she truly felt in the moment – pure sorrow for her friend's ado. He could really be such a martyr sometimes. Thick silence enveloped them for more than twenty minutes until the door of the room slowly cracked open.

"Brother? You in here?" Al's voice echoed from the armor that poked itself through the open door.

"Al! I'm looking for you! Where have you been all this time?" Ed started as Al let himself enter the room. He didn't bother to walk over to Ed's bed and sighed. Edward could see his brother's conundrum and glanced at him with culpability, seeing his brother like is evidence enough to confirm his earlier thoughts.

"It's all my fault you're like this..." Ed said with helpless onus. As the two remained in silence, Winry took the ticket to exit the room for the brother's privacy. They have a lot of things to work out.

Al looked back at Ed, what he just said is something he couldn't decipher until a moment of digesting his words.

"What? Brother, I don't blame you for anything that has happened. It's just a mistake. We just want to see her again, that's why we did it." Al said comfortingly which didn't work on his brother's stubborn heart.

"You can't fool me, Al. You're apparently upset about this." Edward reasoned back. Al muffled dejectedly. His brother got the wrong idea of his sudden loss of spirit.

"It's not about that, Brother." Al said quite ruefully, confusing Ed a bit. It's not about it?

"Then what is it that you're so down about?" Ed asked, propping his leg(the only leg he has) with the little support of his only arm on the right side of the bed so he can face him. Al let out another sigh and walked over his brother slightly.

"Catherine just left this morning." This didn't bring a lot of surprise but still brought Edward to understand what's happening to his brother.

"You mean the girl who tried to stop us?"

"Yeah. I tried to tell her that she doesn't need to leave that fast but she's so pushy about it." Al explained, and even through that expressionless armor, Ed could determine that his little brother is terribly upset about it. And fidgeting.

"You have to understand her, Al. It's her decision. Everybody makes his or her decisions. And we must respect it." Ed explained like an adept motivator. Al gazed back to Ed, trying to consider what he said.

"Brother, she lost her memories because of us."

"She lost her memories?" Ed asked in a more interested way. Al contemplated a bit if he would answer the question truthfully. He promised to keep this secret hidden. But then again, this is his brother. He's not just some any other person. And besides, he has to know sooner or later.

"Yeah. She said a gate took them and after that she was dumped to this world with no recollection of anything before that but visions she has about the human alchemy we made. You see, we have to help her brother…" Edward's golden eyes grew at the word 'gate'.

"Did you say she saw a gate?" Ed asked further, the topic about this unknown girl is slowly getting his attention.

"Yes. A big gate with black figures. Why, Brother? Do you know anything about it?" Ed's eyes enlarged even more. _She saw that thing too?!_ Ed thought, remembering that baneful event. How could a little girl like her can see such a thing? Unless…she did the same. She must have tried human alchemy, too.

"Al, you have to bring that girl back here." Edward said with seriousness.

"Why?" Al asked, befogged by his brother's sudden change of mind.

"She can help us."

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A girl about the age of eleven with red hair of curly ends dreadfully walked down the road of Riseembool. She's been walking from different roads to another the whole day and she just couldn't still get herself out of the town. She asked for directions from different people a couple of hours again but they were horrible. If she would return here someday, she'll suggest whoever is in charge of this town put some road signs on to help newcomers like her.

"Damn it. I don't even know where I am anymore." She said wearily, the afternoon heat flagging her down. As if that wasn't a given in the first place. She's in a different dimension for all she knows. Shaking those thoughts that brought back memories of a horrifying gate eating her alive, Catherine willed herself to focus on the road ahead.

She continued to walk droopily in her tracks, already having the delusion of seeing 'Thank you for visiting Riseembool.' She walked continuously on her road until her world started to spin.

Catherine stopped from her pace to lean on a nearby tree, holding her temple with pain. She tried to open her eyes but only for her sight to blur. Is it the heat? No, no, she was doing fine bearing it earlier.

"What's….happening? Ahh!" She now fell down on her knees; the throbbing ache in her head increasing every second like a time bomb ready to explode, drumming her skull mercilessly. She gritted her teeth and cursed for it to end.

Until what seemed thousands of visions filled her head in an amazing speed…

_A gate…._

_The eye…_

_A red stone…_

_Black – clothed people…_

_War…_

_Gunshots…_

_Desperate screams…_

_Dead people…_

_A city…_

_Edward's bleeding body…._

"_CATHERINE!" A human Al screamed._

Catherine was bitten back by the last vision, mixed expressions dressed in her pale face. "What was…that?" She asked to no one. What the hell is happening to her? Aren't these nightmares already over and done with?

"Are you alright, little girl?" A manly voice asked which surprised Catherine a bit to see a dark haired man in blue outfit greeted beside her. She examined him cautiously.

"Who…are you?" The man stood up to his feet and smiled down on her in a stoic way. "You looked like you were dying against that tree so we thought maybe you needed a hand. The name's Lt. Colonel Roy Mustang, you can call me Lt. Colonel. Are you feeling quite well now?" Roy introduced, extending a hand to her. She reluctantly accepted it and the officer pulled her up helpfully. She licked her dry and obviously pale lips.

"Thank you, Lt. Colonel. And yes I'm feeling fine now. Sorry for the trouble." She spoke, trying to be polite. He does look like someone who requires it.

"Don't mention it. And this is my subordinate, Second Lt. Riza Hawkeye." Roy pointed out to a blonde woman with the same outfit like his, a hard look placed in her hawk red eyes.

"It's nice to meet you too, Second… Hawkeye." She said thoughtfully, having a hard time in remembering their titles.

"Same to you, too. Just be careful next time." The woman said tonelessly. Catherine observed them cannily. _There's something about these two but I can't put a finger on it. _She thought, her eyes not leaving them.

"Excuse me little miss, can we ask you something?" Roy said kindly, offering her a smile.

"Sure." She agreed, seeing that the line in his features didn't accept no's.

"Do you know where the Elric brothers' house is?" Catherine was stung by the familiar name, slightly casting her eyes down.

"Well, do you know?" He asked once more.

"Take that road there, turn right then left." She instructed melancholically, cursing herself for still remembering where that house is. The place where her life is ruined forever. But then again, the idea of able to give good directions even she's a newbie here made her somewhat cockily proud. Roy nodded thanks then turned on their heels. Catherine watched them go for a moment then went for the opposite direction, recalling her recent visions, which she actually thought, was over.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"But why, Brother?" Al was arguing with his brother to tell him why he wants the girl back this badly.

"Like I said a million times she can help regain our bodies back! And you're gonna know how when she's already here!" Ed answered back angrily. Al can be so stubborn sometimes.

"I don't want to-"

"Why are you so balky about this anyway!? It's so obvious you want her here too! In a different kind of reason I must say!" Ed argued; his chin perked up defianltly.

"Yes, I want her here. But forcing her to stay will do no good." Al replied calmly. Edward stopped from his baffling and glared at the armor disputably. Then, an amusing realization hit him, making him grin from ear to ear. And Al found this chilling because that grin is his famous evil – thought – grin.

"You like her…don't you?" Ed confirmed rather than questioned in a menacing way. Al blushed inwardly. Now he just hit a soft spot there.

"No I don't!" Al retorted defensively.

"Al's got a girlfriend!" Ed sang.

"Shut up Ed!"

"Catherine and Alphonse sittin' on a tree…K-I-S-S-"

"Then what do you have to say about you and Winry?!" Al said victoriously, the feedback really getting on him with that hot blush on his cheeks.

"Hey! Don't turn this into me! Now just go and run for her! We need her here! And I know you want her here that badly too!" Ed yelled, completely escaping the intriguing topic.

"Fine then!" Al shouted back then stormed out of the door. Ed was slightly outspanned by his unexpected win over his brother.

"Well… that was easy."

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Alphonse barged out from the room noisily, followed by his loud clanking steps. As he reached the living room, he was greeted by a startled Winry whom he didn't pay much attention.

"Did something happen, Al?" Winry asked curiously, his actions are enough to make her suspicious.

"I'm going to look for her." Wham!

Winry stared at the door blankly where Al had gone through, having no clue of what he's so grumpy about.

Al walked down the porch then towards the road in wide steps, the only thing running in his mind is the red haired girl he barely even knew. Why was he so bothered by her? He usually wasn't the one who got easily angry by anyone, even by his brother. He was the patient and calm one. But when Ed teased him to her…he didn't know why he had reacted like that…so Edward – like when he teases him about Winry.

You like her.

Alphonse Elric shook his metal head vigorously. He can't like her just like that. He know her barely a day. She was so mean to him at first hand and cold…and stubborn…and cute…

"Agghhh! Get a grip! Get grip! Get a grip! You're not even a teenager yet, Alphonse Elric!" The armor started chanting repeatedly while he took his pace on the road, until his attention was suppressed by two figures standing in their old house.

Roy and Riza were both shocked to see an outsized hole created on the front of the house where the doorframe should be. The inside of the house was completely arranged so the possibility of robbery was crossed out. Roy stepped further inside the house and checked the household for more clues that will explain the mammoth on their doorstep – one of a thing Mustang never got to see in an everyday country home.

"Do you think they were murdered, sir?" Riza asked from his behind.

"That hole is definitely transmuted. So whoever done the homicidal here is an alchemist." Roy stated in a militaristic tone while walking through the dark house. His eyes then landed on the opened bedroom, quickly taking note of the blood drops staining the floor.

"Sir." Riza reported her thoughts in that single word.

"I guess we found out more than we wanted by visiting these Elrics." Mustang articulated, taking a closer look on the said room. Mustang started to go dead slow towards the dread room, already feeling the obscure atmosphere it has…

"Excuse me." A voice stopped Mustang dead in his tracks to turn over to the owner of the echoic voice. Hawkeye followed his gaze and automatically clicked her gun to the armored guy.

"Excuse me, why are you in our house?" Alphonse asked the two officers who was slightly awestricken by his appearance.

"We're looking for two brothers - the Elric borthers. Mind telling me where are they right now? They are completely consuming my precious time." Was Mustang's evasive reply, showing a crumpled letter to Al's face.

The letter was from him and Edward, one of the letters they sent before they had their training. It was unbelievable someone actually responded to it. Alphonse couldn't acquaint if he will be happy for someone had acknowledge one of their letters, or to be feared for someone had discovered the dark secret they did the last night. Without a second thought, Al extended his metal arm to the officer gently.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. I'm Alphonse Elric."


	7. her return

Chapter 7 – Her return

Disclaimer: So don't own Fullmetal Alchemist…never did and never will…

A/N:Sorry for the quite late update……… Well here's the next chapter…

Inside a silent – filled room was golden – haired boy sitting straight up in his bed, his missing limbs visible to anyone who can see him. He has that serious button pushed again and this just made him tighten his grip on the sheets beside him. Even how he tried to forget about that night, the memory seemed to haunt him every time he tried to erase it from his mind, as if telling him that his sin was so…unforgivable.

Unforgivable.

Edward clenched his teeth and uneven breathing came out from his mouth, anger and guilt mixing his feelings. This was his fault and only his, but the fact said was so unbearable for him take. So adverse to consider as truth. The truth that will change their lives forever.

The room was still for a straight long moment, only the ticking of the wall clock filling the heavy room. Edward took a quick look at the moving clock to see that it's already 5: 30 in the afternoon, thirty minutes after Al left. Edward was starting to think that maybe Al was having a hard time finding the strange girl whom they met last night, who he seriously thinks can help them somehow. But also maybe, Al was having a hard time making her to come back. As his brother had said, she was so persistent in leaving. But then again, he must still have some hope, for Al's sake.

Edward's drifting thoughts were interrupted by the door cracking open to reveal Alphonse.

"Brother…we have some visitors." Al said then left the door to reveal two new faces to Edward Elric, both wearing blue uniforms he hadn't seen before. The other one, the man with dark hair and eyes stepped inside with the blonde woman behind him. The man stopped when he reached Ed's bedside, looking at him with cold eyes of a soldier he is.

"I didn't expect for that letter to come from a kid like you." He stated rather harshly. Ed snorted at his arrogant attitude and shot back in the rudest way possible,

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Roy Mustang squinted his eyes at the boy's bravery to raise a voice to a higher – up like him. But taking consideration that he's just a kid and maybe can help him in his personal interests, may as well just disregard the attitude.

"It's Lt. Colonel Roy Mustang." He answered with a friendly extended hand for a shake. Edward widened his eyes at the man's name, the fact that's he's part of the military is not hidden from him now.

"So you're from the military." Edward concluded, still clouded by shock for an actual state alchemist soldier standing right next to him. So he didn't made a move to return the hand shake but to just look at him with nervous – twitching eyes.

Roy noticed the boy's awkwardness so he just let his hand come back.

"I almost forgot, this is my subordinate Second Lt. Riza Hawkeye." He introduced the blonde woman with a rigorous expression on her face.

"Brother, they received one of the letters we sent to the address on Father's letters." Al chimed in, moving closer to the group so Ed could hear him clearly. Edward breeched his face at the mention of their father but still maintained his composure to look straight to the soldier's face.

"I've visited your house and discovered you did something out of the ordinary." Roy began, with a hint of knowing in his voice which gave Ed the shivers of fear. Silence passed the room as Edward refused to say anything and chose to remain silent, wanting to keep the secrets of that house as hidden as possible. But the rear look of Roy at him said that there's no point in hiding anything.

"You performed human alchemy, didn't you?" Roy stated more than questioned, making the brothers gasped in shock from those two words, like it's forbidden for them to even say. Pronouncing those words were enough for them to bring back all the exact events happened that night.

"Sir." Hawkeye said in an immutable voice, like saying that maybe her superior may have been mistaken.

"The blood stains from the bedroom door, your brother's hollow body. You performed the forbidden taboo, you tried to resurrect someone who's already dead." Ed and Al remained dead silent as Roy continued to reveal their secret to their faces, the horrified looks of the boys were enough for him to understand the sacrifice they've undergone.

After minutes of pure stillness, the door opened itself to reveal an angered old lady standing in the room with them. Even with her thick - lens glasses, her fierce eyes over the soldier was clearly firing with hatred.

"I have had enough of my loved ones taken away by the military. The last thing I want is a soldier tainting my house with his dirty feet, so could you please leave any moment now." Pinako said in a low, dangerous voice. Roy mostly ignored her and remained his eyes on the boy with that determined face he had never seen before, not even from people older than him, making him more interested in this particular child.

"Human transmutation is a completely dangerous taboo, no one has ever did it ending up alive, making you all mighty for sitting there well and breathing." Edward crunched his face smugly at the words 'well and breathing'. He would like his own definition.

"I can arrest you for doing so, considering it is my duty as a state alchemist." All the people in the room enlarged their eyes at Roy's sudden threat, his face remaining still and cold. Edward gave him a death glare and didn't bother to talk because all the clashing feelings he has with this guy are shown in his flaring golden eyes.

"I SAID GET THE HECK OUT OF HERE!" Pinako rummaged at him, but still has her feet stuck in the ground. She was way too educated to go on strangling other people even how she despise them.

"I'm interested in you kid, that's why I'm giving you a chance to take our alchemy exam in Central. If you're interested, just visit me sometime in Central." He said with a smirk, which Ed already found catty at first hand.

"GET OUT OF HERE BEFORE I DO IT MYSELF!" The old lady on the door threatened once more, which Roy once again ignored. From all the experiences he has in his military career, moments and situations like these are totally nothing to care about. He, instead, gave the boy one last look, clearly viewing that fully glowing determination flowing in his eyes. He smirked through his back and headed for the door before Pinako send them any more baleful yells.

"It's up to you kid. It is your own decision whether you like it or not but nonetheless, I'll wait for you at Central." Roy said before waving a hand and proceeded to the exit of the room. Al offered to accompany them to the front door, being his all – polite and kind self again.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o—o-oo-o-o-o-o-o-oo—o-oo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"It's nice meeting you, Mr. Mustang. I hope we can visit you sometime at Central." Al stated as they reached the front door that Riza obliged to open for them to leave.

"Judging by your brother's face, I'm sure I'll see you soon." Al didn't really get what he meant then just nodded a yes before they turned to leave. As the two officers walked down the porch, squeaky yelps could be heard in the front of the house, particularly from a girl.

"GET OFF ME YOU FILTHY MUTT!! Ugghhh…STOP LICKING ME!" A girl with curly red – hair under a furry black dog (what is his color anyway?) cried while she tried to wriggle herself escape from the dog's large licking attacks. The trio on the door stood there completely absorbed by watching the scene before them for a moment before Al decided to head first.

"Catherine? I thought you left?" Al asked as he walked over to her aid and carried the pet dog from her so she can stand up from the ground. She dusted her clothes and arranged her already wrinkled clothes from the little game she had with Den.

"You know each other?" Roy asked from their behind, looking at them questioningly.

"You know Mr. Mustang already?" Al asked back to her, now she has to answer all of their questions. So she started explaining as fast as she can.

"Mustang guy here asked me the direction of your house and I met Al and his brother about, yesterday." Catherine said in one breath, her urge to do something right now is evident in her impatient actions. Roy didn't push the subject much further, deliberating that he isn't interested in such a light issue. He is a busy man indeed.

"I better get going now. See you at Central." Roy waved goodbye as the two watched their shadows disappear before talking to each other.

"So…Why did you come back?" Al asked, still bottling up the joy of the girl's presence beside him. He can't really explain it, but her company makes him so…tipsy all over. Which is a pleasurable feeling for him.

"I need to talk to Ed." Catherine replied hastily.

"Well, he also wants to talk-" Before Al knew it, she already bolted inside the house, leaving the door behind opened wide. He looked at her direction blankly for a moment before deciding to follow her way.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Are you really sure you want this Edward?" Pinako interrogated the blonde boy, who was all serious and determined about taking the state alchemist exam. To become a dog of the military.

"Yes, granny. It's the only way." Edward replied melancholically, making the old lady looked at him rather worriedly. She was afraid to lose anyone close to her anymore. The young blonde girl beside her duplicated her expression, the fear for the boy to be one of her late parents taking over her mind.

"Edward." Winry whispered in fear and concern. Edward just winced at their worriment over them, not able to look at them straight in the eyes. Doing it will just make his decision melt away, especially when he dared to look at the blue – eyed blonde in the room.

"Being a dog of the military will bring you nothing but despair and death, so please forget about what that man said."

"No." was Edward's stern return of words.

"I will not stop until I correct the mistakes I've made. Nothing can stop me." This made the two Rockbells stare at him with awe, slowly letting the boy's words sink in their troubled minds.

"Granny." Edward called out, looking at his life – known aunt with piercing golden – eyes.

"What is it Edward?"

"From our house, in the cabinet, get the money there." He instructed confusing the old woman completely.

"That is not a time for that Edward, you know you have better things to do with that money." Pinako insisted.

"No, for automail." Pinako and Winry gasped in surprise at the boy's brave answer.

"Edward…you can't have automail. You're under aged and even adults chicken out from the pain it brought." Pinako explained, trying to convince Ed to change his mind before he regrets it.

"I don't care how much it'll pain. Because it's nothing, compared to the pain he had gotten to." Edward said in gritted teeth, guilt and heaviness decorated his strained voice. Winry sighed at him, hopelessness to stop them from leaving her slowly growing in her. Silence chose to enter the room until a loud clash of the door being opened violently interrupted it, catching the attentions of the people in the room.

"Ed! I need to talk to you." Catherine, who stood by the door, said in a breath before entering the room, followed by Al in behind. She glanced at the two Rockbells who has that surprised faces like Ed's. She really did come here rather unexpectedly.

"Sorry to be rude and all but, can you leave the room for a while?" Catherine asked with all the politeness she has stuck with her. She really isn't that type of person to be all formal to others. Pinako and Winry obliged her whole – heartedly without a word and left the room quietly.

"So, I thought you left?" Ed began. It's not like he didn't want her here, in fact, he needs her here. He knows this girl can help them somehow.

"I was going to…and wanted to…" She shot back, then sighed heavily.

"Because I thought my visions have already stopped from bugging around my mind, but found my self wrong." She continued, each explanation is killing her. She was actually asking help from the people who caused her troubles in the first place.

"If you're going to give me that I – can – see – your - future crap, then you're wasting your time with me." Edward replied in a galled tone still having that I-so-don't-believe-you issue.

"Brother! Stop being so rude and just believe her! What happened last night just proves enough that she's right!" Al rebuked to his older brother.

"She just knows what's gonna happen back then because she also did the taboo herself!" Edward shot back heatedly.

"Listen you midget, don't talk as if I'm begging for you to believe me okay? I don't need your trust or anything from you. I don't care if you think my visions are just phony ones. I don't even give a damn about it." She stated in a very frivolous way that Edward became slightly frightened by her, totally forgetting the height comment.

"All I want is to make them stop. I thought it already did so I decided to leave this place. But it occurred again when I'm only fifty blocks away from your house, dammit." She continued with hard eyes not refraining from Ed, making him to stiff in his position.

"So as long as your damn problems and ado are not solved yet, my life won't be at peace with these stupid go – to - hell visions I don't even want to have. So even it's not really what I wanted, I'm gonna help you guys correct the mistake you made, whether you like it or not." She finished, her stern eyes not leaving the direction of the two brothers who just listen to her intently, or rather fidgeted. Her scary voice just resembles their teacher's.

"Actually, we also want you help us, knowing that you have a knowledge about the human transmutation we did." Edward answered slowly. Catherine looked at them in a confused way, not knowing what to blurt out right now. She has a lost for words right now. She urged to stop the embarrassment she got for talking without even thinking what the others gonna say and just made her face as hard as she can.

"So brother, can she stay until we find some way to regain your body back?"

"And your body." Ed reminded.

"Right, so?" Al asked excitedly, waiting for his brother's answer. Edward acted as if he's thinking over it and flashed a smile to Catherine who just had that weirded look on her face.

"Sure, why not." Ed finally answered making the armor jump with glee. Catherine gazed at Al questioningly, or more likely, questioningly but doesn't want to know the answer.

"Okaaayyyy." She said slowly, looking at the brothers amorphically. Dealing with people you barely know for a day can make your day a little…let's just say bizarre.

"Ah, don't worry. Al's just soooooooo glad you're be staying with us. Oh I mean with himmm." Edward said menacingly, emphasizing every word he said. Catherine didn't get the hint and just shrug her way out of it. She doesn't care about it anyway. Wow, she's so heedless, alright.

"Don't worry, I will leave first thing you got your bodies back. Because there forth maybe I can live a rather normal life perhaps." Catherine stated with a smile, just the thought of it obviously made her excited. But the opposite goes for Al. Just the thought of her leaving again made him all depressed. Before anyone can make any other lines, the red – haired girl disappeared to the floor with Den wetting her face with her tongue wildly. Someone just forget to close the door.

"Aghhh!! You again?! YOU DISGUSTING FUR BALL!" Catherine shrieked at the dog who has her nonstop wild tongue attacking her cheek.

"I guess Den really likes her." Al commented as they watched the girl helplessly made her way out of the big dog above her.

"Yeah. Did she give Den a new food or something?" Ed asked absentmindedly.

"I don't think so."

"GUYS?! A LITTLE HELP HERE?!" Catherine exclaimed at them as the dog mercilessly continued to pin her on the ground.

"Think we should help her?" Al asked, Catherine's yells of help filling the room.

"Nah. Let her be." Ed replied.

"HELP ME GET THIS THING OFF DAMMIT!!!!"

A/N: that's all for now…at least you know now that she really didn't leave…well, reviews


	8. From here on

Chapter 8 – From here on

**Disclaimer: **Don't own FMA characters….only love them to death..hehehe

A/N: Still didn't get that much of reviews…I thought this story really sucks…but writing it makes my day…so I'm going to continue it no matter what! ….even if it pains for the lack of reviews…sniff…

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It's been almost a year since the visit of the soldier Roy Mustang and from that point on the brothers decided to get their bodies back no matter what. Especially Edward Elric. He already had his automail arm and leg attached to him as prosthetic limbs. The pain was unbearable, but the boy didn't give a hint that he regrets the agony he's being through. The two automail mechanics, especially the younger one, was terribly horrified at the boy's muffles of pain. She looked at him with her most concern face but the boy just said in gritted teeth,

"This pain is nothing Winry. Compared to the pain he has been." Winry felt small tears pricking her eyes like needles, just watching the suffering her friend is being through. The pain he didn't deserve to have. While his brother is in the surgery room, the younger armor boy curled himself in a ball in a corner of the hall, the exact place where he sat with Catherine the last time. Maybe no one can see it, but he was crying inside like a little boy he is, just hearing the anguish cries his brother made. He felt so helpless because no one can ever comfort his pleas in this senseless body. He will be like this forever. Letting his sorrow eat him, his doldrums suddenly interrupted by a shadow blocking the small light entering the hall. He lifted his helmet to see a girl in loose shirt flowing until her upper thighs with her long red hair braided in one side so it will rest in her shoulder.

"Don't worry Alphonse, your brother's strong enough to make it through an automail surgery. Don't cry on him, trust him." She stated in a cold voice she had developed, but it still gave the boy comfort somehow.

"How do you know I'm crying?" Al asked curiously, yearning a raised eyebrow from the girl. Catherine smiled slightly at him after a moment and sat down beside him, the exact spot she sat on the last time they have each other side by side in this hallway.

"I may be cold, but I'm not that insensitive to not feel what the other person's feeling. Even if you're in that body, I can read you like an open book. Anyone can, because you're a human like them, even in that hallow shell." Catherine stated, not giving a look at Al's direction, just staring at the wall before them. Al glanced at her with slight bemusement at the girl's comforting words.

"Thank you, Cath(when did he call her like that? Just don't ask)." Al thanked in a whisper. Catherine lifted her eyes from the wall to him, giving him a small smile of don't-mention-it.

A year passed really passed so quickly, and the two brothers are having their daily routine – sparring. To train the mind, you also have to train the body. That's the reason why they were doing this in a daily basis, as ordered by their master.

They gave attacks to each other like it's a rhythm, when the other punches, the other will block them with his arm with ease. They continued this pattern until they both gave up and just chose to watch the sun set before heading back home.

"Brother, what are we going to do now?" Al asked, a hint of fear evident in is voice, his metal hands curling in his lap as he sat on the grass.

"I…don't really know Al, but I'm gonna make sure I'll do something, to correct this mistake." Edward said with honesty.

"You're not planning to bring mom back again, right?" Al asked, even though he knew affirmative answer. His brother was not someone who gives up too easily.

"No." Was Edward's immediate answer, bewildering Al for a moment.

"I can't take the risk of losing you again, Al." Edward admitted while casting his golden eyes on his feet.

"Brother..." Al said in a trialing voice.

"That's why I'm going to bring your body back no matter what it costs. Even if it costs me to be in the leash of the military." Edward reassured in a determined voice. Al gave him a look of remorse, feeling pain instead of gratitude of his brother's dedication to bring his body back.

"If that's the case brother, then I'll join the military as well!" Al announced in a booming voice. He can't let his brother do this alone. They made the mistake together, so their going to correct it side by side as well.

"No Al, it's enough for just me to carry the shame of being the dog of the military. You don't need that." Edward declined sadly, looking at Al with soft eyes. Al seemed to drown in his guilt trip again, the thought that his brother is the only one who has the responsibility for all of this is just made him want to die right now.

"But I'm going with you still!" Al said to Ed, almost yelling at him.

"Why?" Edward asked in dazed sort of way.

"Because you're so impulsive and careless. You're no good without me." Al answered like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"Gee, thanks for the support, Al." Ed said sarcastically with slumped shoulders. Hate to admit but with his short temper and short height, he is no good without Al. _Hey did I just admitted that I'm short? _He shouted mentally then smacked a metal fist over his head.

After that a brief moment of silence passed them until Al broke it with a question.

"Where's Cath?" He asked as he looked at Ed who was massaging the forming bump in his head, waiting for his answer.

"I don't know, she's with us when we left the house. Maybe she just wandered around." Edward replied noncaringly, but his armored brother swiveled his head caringly to look for the certain red – haired girl. Edward gave his brother a knowing look, a mischievous thought forming in his head.

"Do you know where she's gone all through this time?" Al asked once more, but all he got was a menacing look from his brother.

"I don't care that's why I don't know, but considering you care for her that deeply you can look everywhere for her if you like, I'm going home." Edward said with a hint of teasing before heading down the grassy hill. Al got his main idea and return back what he had given to him.

"You're already going home? Missing Winry already?" Al teased bac, and chuckled victoriously when he saw his shoulders tense in embarassment.

"Shut up!" Edward retorted from his back and continued to climb down. Al shook his armor in response and stalked somewhere else to find Catherine.

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After twenty minutes or so, the armor still hasn't got the luck in spotting the girl. He was going to give up and go back home to wait for her there, considering she always got herself home when she disappears like that, but sounds of something being kicked caught Al's attention. Through the thick troubling bushes, Al made his way as soundless as possible to the direction of the sounds. When he cleared the bushes a bit, he viewed what he's looking for.

Catherine, wearing a tiny, tight, zip in black jacket stopping above her bellybutton and a pair of Capri pants with a pair of black ankle boots (Told you I'm going to change her clothes), was giving hard punches and kicks Al never thought she has to a hard bark of a wooden tree, which already has visible dents and scratches from the force the girl is giving it. Al continued to watch the scene before him with awe as Catherine jumped in the air and threw both of her feet yet again to the wooden bark and used it to push herself to perform an incredible back flip. After that, she followed it with a summersault and used it to strike another potent kick. Al continued to set his eyes on the girl's amazing fighting reflexes, and can't help to wander why she was sparring with a tree. Unexpected to Al, Catherine stopped from her training and turned her head to his direction, her eyes darting suspiciously at him.

"What are you doing here?" It didn't sound a question when she voiced it, it sounded like a command. Al flinched because his cover was already blown up. He slowly stood to his ground and proceeded to where Catherine is, not having a word to say.

"Uhhh…just wondering where you went. Then I found you here. Why are you sparring with a tree?" Al asked, his curiosity building up every second. Catherine gave him a shrug and placed her hands on her bare hips then traveled her crimson eyes on the several marks she made on the tree with her strong kicks and punches.

"Well…I guess because it makes a very good sparring partner. It never falls down no matter how much I hit it." She answered lightly, flashing Al a small grin.

"But judging from how strong you are, it'll give up anytime soon." Al commented which was laughed by the girl.

"Oh yeah? Well then I have to find another tree to kick, eh?" Catherine answered back with humor.

"You can spar with brother and me if you like." Al offered which Catherine declined with a shook of her braided red hair.

"People fall down too easily if you hit them and with that I can't give up my full potent in fighting." Catherine reasoned out, her eyes still glued on the tree before them. Al made a sound of confusion. Sometimes, he really can't get this girl.

"I don't fall down that easy-oof!" Al's sentence was interrupted by a loud bang in his chest plate, sending him to the ground which made the fallen leaves fly in the air by his armor's impact. Before he knew it, Catherine was standing on him, her legs bended with her elbows resting on her knees so she can see him properly.

"No fair, I'm not ready." Al whined at her.

"That's my point. People need to be ready for them to fight. For me, you must be always ready to win over a fight. One click of unawareness of your opponent, it's possible for you to be a goner one of your days." Catherine told him and jumped from him to land her feet on the dirt ground. She turned on her heels and headed down the road back home.

Al took some time to stood from his fall and see that his companion is already marching away. He didn't wait for anything and run to her side.

"Hey wait up!" He was soon on Catherine's side and he can't help but to rest his eyes on her face. She was pretty to be honest, but behind that beautiful face was all the dark secrets he knew she's hiding behind that cold, icy face of hers. From the day he met her, the only other face he thought he saw in her was her fearful one. The one she had when she tried to stop them from resurrecting their mother.

"So, what are you boy's planning now?" Catherine started, cutting Al from his train of thoughts. He didn't actually heard what she said and just muttered a 'yeah.'

"Yeah? What kind of answer is that for 'what are you planning now?'?" Catherine questioned, making Al grow in embarrassment.

"Uh-I mean, brother's planning to join the military. We're leaving soon." Al admitted drearily, bowing his head to the ground with bitterness.

"Really? Then that means I have to leave this place, too." She announced in a cheery way but this made Al look at her with woefully. She's leaving him, again. And maybe this time, she won't come back anymore.

"Really? Where are you heading to now?" He asked, acting like everything's okay with him.

"Well, that depends on where are you going." She answered back slyly, continuing her game of charade. Al took a moment to think about her words until it clicked on his mind.

"You're going with us?" He asked, controlling his bottling joy inside him.

"You can put it that way." She answered back with a smirk, looking at him with cool eyes. Al gave her the happiest face he has (well if she's gonna notice it) and locked her in a bone crushing hug, lifting her from the ground to do so.

"Oh! This is great! This is really great!" Al cheered while tightening his hug on the poor girl's small body, choking the air out of her.

"I'm really happy you're coming with us!" Al boomed at her, shaking her in his hug.

"I get it. You can... let go of me any second now." Catherine answered, her voice out of breath. Al noticed the girl's discomfort and laid her down shyly.

"Sorry. Just a little carried away." Al apologized softly, scratching his helmet coyly.

"It's okay. Just lessen the hugs next time." Catherine said with a grin while rotating her slightly misplaced shoulders.

From this day on…it's official that Catherine Ederson will be traveling with the Elric brothers. Is it for the good of their horrible fate? Or to make things a lot worse?

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A/N: well there's a crappy chapter for you…sorry if it really sucks…I'll try to make the next ones somehow better than this….please read and review…


	9. Time to go

Chapter 9 – Time to go

**Disclaimer: **Don't own any FMA characters blah blah blah whatever

A/N: Still didn't get any good reviews…sniff……

Afternoon fell on the peaceful town of Reseembool like smooth silk blanket and everyone's mind was in peace as the quiet day began to near its end. Except for one particular home.

"Are you sure you're gonna leave?" A blond haired girl asked in a soft, sad voice to the older Elric who has that hard, determined face plastered on his face while packing his things in a medium sized suitcase placed flat on his bed. He was already dressed in his tight black jacket and pants covered by a red trench coat that flows in his every step. He also has his hair braided in a neat fashion, which Winry had taught him to do.

"It's gonna be okay Winry. We'll be back as soon as we can." Edward promised heartedly and clicked his suitcase close. He walked closer to her, noticing that they are at the same height. He then put both of his hands, one metal, one flesh, above her bare shoulder since she's wearing one of her sleeveless sundress. He perked his eyes to her blue ones, reassuring her that he is strong enough on his own. Winry gloomed even more, remembering how her parents said those words to her before they died. Now, the fear of losing them too was slowly entering her system. She can't take it anymore and broke down into tears on his shoulder.

Edward was stiffen shock at the sudden gesture and realized his friend needed some comfort, so he wrapped his arms around her shoulder and tried to shoo her tears away.

"Winry, don't cry. We'll come back. I promise." Edward pledged only to make the girl just a little worried about them. Winry continued to cry for moments until she succumbed and tried to lift her gaze to his worried ones. She already decided to be strong for them. For them to finish what they have to do, like her parents. Her weak face was suddenly turned into a fierce one.

"Just, be careful. And try not to grow smaller, okay?" Winry stated with a bright grin. Edward gave her a smug look but then turned into a glad one.

"You bet." He answered back with one of his famous lopsided smile.

"So, where are we heading now?" A voice came to the two's ears and they jerked their heads to see Catherine leaning on the opened doorframe with the expressionless face she usually wear and Al standing from outside the room.

"Central. I have to meet the Mustang guy." Ed replied, looking down at his feet. Catherine squinted her eyes in mere agreement and lifted her body from the wooden door.

"But I have to do something first before anything. Al?" Edward called over the towering armor on the doorway who glanced at the blond boy in return.

"What is it brother?"

"We have…to do something first." Edward mumbled, as if he's afraid just saying it. Winry looked over him with curiosity.

"If that's the case then I guess I'll have to take a walk after you guys finish whatever you're gonna do." Catherine declared in her cold voice that she usually used and waved her way out of the room and the house.

"I don't know about you but that girl's so frigid." Edward commented with a snort.

"Yeah, but I think she's just pretending to be." Al stated in a daze.

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A stone flew from its steady place as a foot kicked it nonchalantly from the road she's walking on. She still wore that icy face of hers, hiding her every person in her cold block of ice. She has many things to be cleared in her mind. And worse, she doesn't even know what things were supposed to be cleared. She doesn't even know what things are running in her mind anymore.

The red - haired girl continued to let her legs carry her on the dirt road of the grassy town. Suddenly, her previous visions came back to her, in fact, it visited her most of the time since she had them. It's like a big fat elephant occupying most of her conscious mind.

Catherine sighed indignantly and looked over her way with bored red eyes.

"I guess I have to deal with those brothers and this world for a while."

She then began to survey the place. She had to admit, this place isn't that bad. In fact, this is like a perfect paradise for all who wants to live with their loved ones the rest of their lives. There are housed lined up equally in each block you passed, children having their fun game of tag, adults whispering to each other interesting gossips, a little girl about the age of four got her leg stuck under a metal cart…

Catherine's attention was suddenly pulled by the last view she got, stopping her from the wondering trip.

"Help! PLEASE HELP ME!" The little brunette girl cried out in tears as she tried her best to pull her little leg free. Catherine didn't get a second thought and ran to the girl's location.

"Don't worry I'm coming!" She yelled over the girl. The girl seemed to hear her and stopped from calling for help and watch Catherine coming to her. As her running footsteps hit the ground, she can see from above the little girl some falling debris coming from the construction site the girl was near to. Her eyes enlarged twice their size and she speed her pace up.

"LOOK OUT! SOMEBODY HELP!!!" Catherine tried to call for more help, but it seems that nobody heard her and the debris is falling even faster in every second. The girl followed her gaze and looked up to see the giant cement coming down to crash her. Her fear increased ten folds as she screamed in terror.

"Shit!" She cursed under her breath and subconsciously clapped her hands together and slammed them to the ground next to her. Just merely feet away from the scene, Catherine managed to transmute the falling debris into tiny specs of sand. The girl, confused at the sand that hit her instead of a huge rock, rolled a little bit to glance at her savior.

Catherine sat on the ground, looking at her hands with weirded, surprised eyes.

"What was….that?" She asked to her hands, gazing at them as if they were the answer to all the questions running on her mind right now.

How can she do that? Alchemy can only be performed with a circle, so, how? She then suddenly recalled when the same thing happened back at the brother's house. How did she do that? She didn't have any circle drawn to be able to perform a transmutation. So, how? All she did was clap her hands…

"Miss? Can you help me?" A little voice cut her from her bath of questions and quickly came to her aide. Catherine clasped her hands on the lid of the metal cart and lifted it as high as her arms could.

"Now get your leg out." She ordered and the girl weakly pulled her bruised leg away just then Catherine drop the heavy piece of metal soundly.

"Are you okay?" Catherine asked in a worried tone as she took note of the blooded wound on the girl's leg.

"My leg's bleeding." The girl whined and caressed her aching bruise.

"C'mmon, I'll carry you home." Catherine offered and got the little girl in a piggyback ride.

After ten minutes of walking, a woman, maybe the little girl's mother, welcomed Catherine and the girl on her back with a look of relieved worriment.

"There you are, I'm worried sick about you! What happened to your leg?!" The mother asked frantically as she got her daughter in her arms, almost forgetting Catherine's presence.

"Don't worry mom, I'm fine. She saved me!" The girl cheered, pointing at Catherine who just merely laughed. The woman looked over her and flashed her a warm smile.

"Thank you so much for saving my daughter. I didn't know what could've happened if you didn't come along. You see Aria here has no friends in town so she's just all alone playing by herself in the fields. She gets into trouble most of the time. Again I'm sorry and thank you so much." The woman said sincerely.

"Oh it was nothing. Anyone could've done that if they were me. It's really nothing." Catherine stated while rubbing the back of her head shyly but the woman insisted with a shook of her head.

"Not everyone. Only a few like you." the woman said softly, making Catherine wonder in her unique choice of words.

"Would you like some tea little girl?" The woman offered, cutting her train of thoughts at the moment.

"No thanks. Have to go somewhere right now. I really have no time." Catherine declined, remembering that she and the Elrics are leaving this place today. She then turned on her heels and made her way to the Rockbell residence.

"Hey!" Catherine turned back to the girl who called for her curiously, giving her full attention.

"What's your name?" She asked in a tiny voice of a four -year - old.

"Catherine Ederson."She replied, already getting accustomed to her made – up name.

"I'm Aria."

"I already know that." Catherine said with a chuckle. The little brunette gave her a pout for the rude reply.

"Come here and play with me sometime, okay? After you come back from somewhere." The girl asked with hopeful eyes. Catherine blinked at the girl dumbly, not really know what to say.

"Sure." She agreed hesitantly. _Wow, I got a new playmate_. She thought mockingly.

"Promise?" The girl asked for assurance, completely serious over the situation.

"Yeah sure, I promise." Catherine said and stalked off to her home, completely ending the conversation.

"BYE! COME BACK SOON!" The girl's high – pitched voice echoed in Catherine's ears, waving her hand from her back in return.

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Later that day, Catherine reached the road towards the yellow Rockbell house. She started to make her way on the straight dirt path when her eyes were suddenly caught by a large amount of smoke coming from a house nearby. She turned to see that it was a house being eaten by fire. She was about to call some help when she saw four figures standing in front of the burning house. Two of them are Ed and Al throwing torches at the structure to help the flame bigger.

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"Why do you have to do this?" Winry asked in a shaky voice. She already understands why they have to go. But to burn their home before leaving is something that she can't really comprehend right now.

"We have to Winry. We _need_ to." Ed answered back.

"Don't worry, Winry. We'll always remember you when we're 're gonna carry our memories with us. But some memories...aren't meant to leave traces."Al added, the light of the burning flame reflected on his shining armor.

"There's no turning back now."

Winry looked over them with downed spirit she didn't feel before. For the umpteenth time for the day, the girl shed tears of hopelessness. Edward noticed this and looked over her.

"Why burn it?" A voice asked in which four heads jerked to see Catherine watching the fire swallow the beautiful home into ashes. None of them bothered to answer her, or didn't know how to answer her and just stood their silently.

"Let's get going."Edward announced and started to walk off when he heard Winry's sobs escaping her mouth. He perked his eyes over her, having a hard time to not wipe those tears away.

"Why are you crying again?" He asked quite irately.

"Be—cause…I—" She said through fits of hiccups, trying to dry her eyes with the back of her hand. Edward smiled at her reminiscently.

"You're crying hasn't changed at all, Winry." He said with a grin, his gloved hands placed above his hips.

With that, they left.

It was time to go.

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A/N: That's all for now…I'll try to add the next chapter soon.


	10. Of soul and love Part I

Chapter 10 – Of soul and love Part I

**Disclaimer:** Don't own anything…just Catherine Ederson of course…

A/N: I really think this sucks…but I'll continue it anyway…who can blame me? This is my very first fanfic in my fourteen years of life…

This story is gonna be full of spoilers!!!! So those who haven't watched the anime, watch it first so this story will make some sense…the plots will be changed slightly by yours truly…ME!

Princess de la Luna: I want to thank you so much for continuing to read this piece of crap, and saying it doesn't suck…I really, really appreciate it….tnx a bunch…: - )

Edward: Just get on with the story already…

Me: Shut up pipsqueak…you're so small you don't even have the right to talk to me…

Edward: WHO ARE YOU CALLING A PIPSQUEAK WHO IS SO SMALL HE CAN'T EVEN BE HEARD BY ANYONE HE'S TALKING TO!!! (yelps on me)

Me: (dodge to the side)

Edward: (landed on the floor flat faced)

Me: ON WITH THE STORY!!!

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Night already fell when the trio reached the train station. The tracks were still empty, meaning the train hasn't arrived yet from its last trip.

"The train's not here yet." Al concluded. Edward merely replied his silence as he took a seat on the station's waiting area and palmed his head with his arms to relax.

"The train may arrive late this evening or early tomorrow morning so it's better to take this time for some shut-eye." Edward said and closed his eyes to sleep. There was a brief silence until Catherine decided to speak.

"You know, you shouldn't have your house burnt in the first place. It's beautiful and quite the home." Catherine stated which made the brothers' heads turn to her. Her eyes were lost in the tracks, confusing them a little if she's really talking to them.

"Home will just pull us back from what are we going to do. We don't need that." Al added in with the same anguish as his brother has. Catherine let out a sigh.

"Whether you burn it or not, there's no difference." This statement took the Ed and Al to look straight at her who also already has her crimson eyes on them.

"The memories you have in that house. The happiness…the comfort…the pain. It will always remain in your hearts forever even that house is already nothing but ashes in the wind. There are things that can't be destroyed even if you want them to be." She voiced it out coldly, but the intensity in each word was clearly seen in her blood red eyes. Al looked down at his feet in shame, while the older one glanced his eyes to another direction.

Catherine sighed quietly as she watched the boy's tainted souls suffer before her. Yes, she was still mad at them for not listening to her back then. Furious was even the precise word to describe her feelings for them. But then again she could not find the heart to not pity them. After all, they are just kids who wanted their mom back. They are just kids like her who've done foolish things without thinking.

"HELP! MY BAG!" A feminine voice cried for help. Three heads perked to the direction of the sound in response to see a thug dressed in black running away from a lady with a snatched bag in his filthy hands.

"Rest time's over." Edward declared and the other two nodded in response.

"Haha…Loaded for just a day. This job is too easy." The thug muttered to himself in triumph as he looked over his back to see the old lady already tired up on her knees. Unfortunately for this daily bag snatcher, a pair of people blocked his way just in time to stop him. He looked over the small blond kid wearing a stern look on his face. The thug almost laughed and pulled out a gun to point it at Edward.

"Now, now, be a nice kid and go to bed early." He smeared in a fake gentle voice and placed his finger on the trigger. Before he could move a muscle, the ground beneath him glew a blue light and in a second, metal bars grew from the cement ground, knocking his gun in the process before he found himself sealed behind the bars.

"Who's the kid who got out of his crib now, huh?" Edward asked in mocking confidence, showing to the culprit's face the gun he just pointed at him.

"Neat work." Catherine complemented as she tapped the metal cage with her knuckles. The two brothers looked at each other then at her.

"Can't you use alchemy?" Edward interrogated curiously. Catherine was taken off guard by the question. Now how can she answer that simple yet stupidly hard question? She can use alchemy, without a circle even. But in some whirling reason in her head, she just couldn't tell them. In fact, she thinks she didn't want to tell anything to these two. She has no idea if it's out of distrust, or fear.

"You can, right? I saw you back then in our old house. The hole you transmuted from the door." Al inquired thoughtfully, making the girl cringe yet again. Is she going to tell them she can use alchemy? I mean, come on, what's the big deal if they know she can? But then again, there's something telling her that she must not tell them. Maybe she'll just let them know by themselves.

"Nicely done." Another voice complimented, making the trio's attention to be drawn to the uniformed policeman. He is quite chubby but his kind face shown his good intention.

"It's called alchemy." Edward quickly explained. He hated it when people start to think that every magical thing happens is nothing but mystical magic. Alchemy is not magic. It's a science withdrawn by large sacrifices.

The man looked stunned and glanced at the three with more interest.

"Wow. The only person I know who performs alchemy around this place is Majahal." The police wondered thoughtfully.

"Majahal?" Edward asked, his interest suddenly perked by this Majahal guy.

"Yes. He's the only alchemist I knew in this place." The man said. Edward perked his eyes with mere curiosity.

"Where can we find him?" Edward asked with sudden interest, surprising Al and Catherine a bit.

"He lives not far away from here if you took a horse and carriage ride down that road." The old man directed pointing at a certain road outside the train station.

"Let's go and find him." Edward decided.

"Are you sure you want to go there?" The man asked worriedly, fear laced in his voice.

"Why? Is it something dangerous?" Edward asked, his attention is slowly being eaten not only by the familiar name but also by the situation the town may have.

"Rumors say that the town is being rampaged by the dead rising from the grave and took the townspeople's lives in an unnatural way for at least two decades now. So that place has been banned for its supernatural occurrences."

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"I thought we're going to Central." Catherine almost complained from the seat she occupied in the narrow - roomed carriage.

"Yeah, Brother. Why are you suddenly so interested in that Majahal guy?" Al asked curiously.

"It's his name. I read his name from his letters." Edward answered with pure seriousness, his hands crossed over his chest.

"You mean father's letters?" Al asked for correction.

"Yes. I think he can somehow help us regarding human transmutation." Edward said, processing his mind hardly on it.

"We're here." Catherine navigated her attention on the moving road outside. Like what she said, the carriage stopped followed by the neighing of the horse. They soon hopped off the ride and decided to walk the small road towards the town.

"You really think this Majahal will help us in restoring our bodies, brother?"

No answer.

"Brother?" Al called and swiveled his helmet only to see Catherine walking beside him. He abruptly halted from his pace then turned around to call for his brother again, only to find him massaging his back weakly with his hips bended slightly for him to do so.

"You okay brother?" Alphonse asked to a weary faced Edward who looked like an old person suffering from arthritis for walking so slow with a throbbing back.

"My back…feels like hell. Thanks to those granite – like seats plus the bumpy ride. Didn't it bother you…at all?" Edward asked weakly, still rubbing his back as he walked pass Al.

"No." Al answered back as he and Catherine continued their walk with an achy – back Edward leading the way.

"Augh..," Edward said with pain and tiredness, almost envying his brother's senseless, no back aches body.

"Your bones are weak, maybe you're lacking calcium. Drink milk more often." Catherine remarked with her usual calm, cold voice. This just steamed up Edward enough to forget the stupid aching spine.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SHORT BECAUSE HE DOESN'T DRINK HIS MILK!" Edward yelled at the top of his lungs, but the girl didn't even flinch a little from the boy's loudness.

"I didn't say that." Catherine defended in her still, boring voice which only Edward grumble with more flaring anger.

"Brother, stop it. She didn't say anything like that, geez." Al pursued as he grabbed a hold of his wild raging brother by his coat to prevent him from killing their companion.

"Look." Al fleetingly pointed at one direction, and the other two following his finger. Not far from them, they saw what seems like the town square of the place with lots of glowing lanterns hanging everywhere and numerous tables scattered on the spacious ground for the townspeople to occupy.

"Looks like they're having a party." Catherine commented, her gaze on the amazing environment before her.

"Yeah, and a big one." Al added.

"But they forgot to invite us." Ed said with humor.

BOOM!!!

A firework just exploded about two feet away from them, almost popping the eyes of the trio in surprise and shock. They almost got barbequed there.

"Hey c'mmon! Let's set the fireworks!!" A voice of a girl, about the age of 11, said who is running to Ed, Al, and Catherine's direction. The girl then abruptly stopped after she noticed that there are about three people had gone ahead of her in the town square.

"What are you doing here? Do you know this place is off limits?" The girl, who is wearing an outfit of a paperboy, said sternly. She looks like a boy but her squeaky, feminine voice served as the distict factor. Edward was the first to turn around, the look of what seems like a 'just occurred heart attack' still written all over his face.

"You can get killed, you know." The girl added, looking at them cautiously.

"Yeah. We kinda figured that out." Edward said, sweating.

"You're not from around here, are you?" She asked to the three, who just looked back at her and the other kids she brought with in a blank way. Catherine was the first one to regain her composure and stood before the girl. Not being as short at the age of 11 like Edward, Catherine was a few inches taller than the paperboy girl. The wind swayed her braided red hair resting on her shoulder slightly.(Okay, this will be the style of her hair from now on..)

"We're looking for a guy named Majahal." Catherine asked for information, putting on her formal look on her pale face. The girl merely smirk at her dirtily and chose to ignore her question.

"Let's show these guys, how we welcome strangers." She directed to her other companions, which are all boys about her age, while giving an evil grin towards Catherine. Edward and Al looked back at the other kids dumbly, not really sure what they were planning to do, while Catherine just squinted her eyes at them.

"We don't want any fight. We're just asking if you know about this Majahal guy, right Ed?" Catherine stated, looking back at Ed for an answer.

"Yeah. Can you tell us where he is now?" Edward asked as politely as possible. The girl stayed silent for a bit, taking her time to sway her eyes to the newcomers from head to toe, especially on the big armored guy.

"Why would I? Guys…" With that, five boys circled around them, trapping them on their ground.

"What are you a robot from the future?" A boy asked while poking a twig on Al's armor. He was then stopped when Edward broke his stick into two with his automail hand.

"_Stop_ it." He warned in a dangerous voice, his eyes filled with annoyance.

"Like we said, we don't want any-"

"If you really insist, then I'll give you one." Edward challenged cockily, positioning his self into a fighting stance. Catherine shot him a nasty death glare, followed by Al's too. Even from silent accusation, Edward already got the hint. That totally was an idiotic move he made.

"What?" Ed asked, acting innocently. The kids then began to attack them wildly, sending kicks and assorted rocks and twigs from who cares where in the hell they got them. Catherine dodged them with ease, still sticking on the plan of avoiding a real fight with these barbaric kids. The last thing she wanted now was to be sent to a juvenile center of a town for participating in a ruckus like this.

Meanwhile, Edward and Alphonse were also trying to just duck the consecutive assaults the kids were throwing. They may be kids but teaming as one their strength could fight for the army for sure. The battle continued until all of the other kids went on to fight Ed and Al, leaving Catherine and the girl one on one.

"Look kid, I don't want any fight, okay?" Catherine informed calmly.

"Yeah right." The girl replied mockingly and throw a punch at Catherine. Her attack just hit the air in front of her, and before she knew it, her opponent did a back flip to dodge the attack. Catherine then performed a handstand then spread her legs in the air. In mere seconds, she threw her legs around the girl's waist, pushing her down to the dirt ground. Taking the opportunity, Catherine grabbed both of her wrists then pinned them on the ground. The girl didn't give up that easily as she struggled for freedom.

"Let me go you _bitch_!" She cried as she wriggled under the stronghold of the red haired alchemist.

"Just give it up already. I could have knocked you down on the face right now if I wanted to." Catherine hissed at her persistence to deal with another fight.

"Then why don't you?" The girl dared as she stopped from moving under her hold, looking back at Catherine's red eyes with green stern ones.

"Because I don't pick on kids like you, it's not really my style." Catherine simply said, earning an indignant growl from the girl for the kid comment.

"CATH!" At the hysteric mention of her name, Catherine replied with a turn of her head to the direction of the voice.

"A LITTLE HELP HERE?" Edward called out meekly from underneath Al who was beneath all the other kids. Oh yeah, they were caught real good.

Catherine couldn't do anything but sweat drop.

"You idiots." She insulted them, annoyance tied in her voice.

"My… back." Edward whined quietly, his ache on his back pumping to life as Al lay above him, crushing him with his metal armor.

"What's going on here?" A new voice came and all heads turn to face it. There they saw a man around his fifties, with long dark hair and quite wrinkly face. He took note of the broken posts used for the fireworks and fixed them quickly with a flash of glowing red light.

"So you're…Majahal." Edward concluded, making the man glance over him.

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"So you're Hohenheim's sons - Edward and Alphonse Elric." Majahal confirmed, looking at the two brothers with curious, amazed eyes. Ed and Al have known that this Majahal was a friend of their father.

The old man was kind enough to welcome them in his cozy house and let them have a cup of tea in his dining room. Majahal's eyes then soon landed on the metal armor sitting beside Ed, making Al shiver a bit.

"I've never seen such perfect soul attachment." He praised which made the three of them flinch in their seats.

"Brother! He knows about me!" Al whispered with shock and worry. Edward tensed at the man's certain knowledge and gazed his golden eyes with sheer interest over the man.

"What can I expect from the sons of Hohenheim. He is a true genius." Majahal added his eyes never leaving Ed's skeptical ones. There is something about this guy. Something _wrong_.

"What can you say about the rumors about dead coming back to life then attacking townspeople, huh?" Edward asked between bites of the juicy steak. Catherine, who managed to save her manners from her amnesia, gave him a look of disgust.

Boys and their animalistic eating habits.

"Aha…rumors that filled a superstitious town." Majahal said with a chuckle, making him look that he didn't believe in such things. Little did the brothers know that this guy also have his snake eyes darted at Catherine, who looked back at him with a narrowed glare.

"You mean you don't believe them?" Edward asked, his hard eyes never leaving the old man sitting across from them.

"As alchemists we are, we only believe in rational cases of nature and the dead being brought back to life is out of our principles. And we both know that even the dead was brought back to life, it cannot harm any of the living." Edward just sighed in agreement. Even how doubtful this man looks to him, Edward could say he has a point there.

A faint knock on the door interrupted their discussion.

"Excuse me for a second." Majahal excused and went for the door. He opened it to reveal an old woman about his age whose head covered with the hood of her brown cape.

"Good evening to you. Do you need something?" Majahal asked kindly.

"No. I just want to give some strawberry jam to you. I know it's your favorite." The old lady said in her old raspy voice and handed Majahal the jar. Majahal took it happily and gave his thanks.

"Oh, thank you. You're spoiling me too much." Majahal said in a flattered way, flashing the lady a warm smile.

"No, it's my pleasure." She answered and continued to stare at Majahal intensely, as if she wanted to say something.

"Anything else?" Majahal asked, cutting her off in her ride of thoughts.

"No. I must go now. Good night." She bid goodbye and Majahal shut the door and went back to his visitors.

"So, what can I do for the sons of an old friend, hm?" Majahal asked gently to them, rolling his eyes again to the red head girl in the table with them.

"We're here to know about human transmutation." Edward dictated, clearly getting to his point.

"That's a forbidden taboo that no one must be keen to know." Majahal replied.

"I don't care what the causes are! I'm going to bring my brother's body back! And what about you? You were so obsessed about it too! In the letters…" Edward shot back, drawing Majahal back a little. He gave them a small, dry smile.

"Oh that. It was just a product of youthfulness. Foolish youthfulness, I must say." With that, Majahal began his narration of a girl the town once have.

"Twenty years ago, there was a girl who lived in this town. She was known for her exquisite beauty and perfection, as well as her rare blue roses. She delivers her blue roses from her garden to the town from time to time to sell them. But one fateful night, she was caught in an accident while riding her carriage to the town. Since that day no one ever saw her again and her rare blue roses…" Majahal finished with a sad gasp at the end.

"Sounds like an old fairytale any kid would like." Catherine commented, catching the eyes of the old man. She knew his story might be true, just by the look in his eyes as he told them, she just want to get on his nerves and she thinks she just did pretty well.

"Catherine!" Al scolded at her in a whisper/shout voice like a friggin' parent rebuking his child for her impoliteness.

Three knocks pounded on the door.

"My, my, am I famous this night." Majahal said with light humor as he picked up the doorknob then twisted it open to see the girl from before...

"IT'S YOU!" Ed and the girl pointed at each other with accusing fingers in unison.

"You know each other, huh? This will make things easier. Mr. Majahal, I'm sorry for my daughter's behavior, her sister's death is still on her. Clause, apologize now!" The man with Clause, ordered fiercely.

Clause stubbornly ignored her father's command and just glared at Edward.

"NOW!" Her father yelled at her ever so rudely.

"It's not my fault! It's their fault for being wimps as boys!" she argued back. Ed got a stress mark.

"LET ME AT HER! LET ME AT HER!" Edward said in rage as Al holds him by the waist with his arm.

"Oh Clause, you're such a gentle and pretty girl back then. What will your late sister say if she sees you like this." Majahal said with sorry.

"Shut up! You don't understand me! NOBODY UNDERSTANDS ME! That dead girl killed her! That Carin girl killed my sister!" Clause shouted back and ran off.

"Clause!" Her father called for her but was ignored by the girl who snapped around and stormed out of the scene.

Edward and the others didn't say anything else and just ran after her.

"HEY! STOP!" Edward yelled for her as they play tag in the wide dirt road of the town. The girl didn't hear them out and speed her legs up with fresh tears falling from her eyes. Because she isn't paying attention in her way, a rock presented itself before her foot and tripped her over. It didn't end there as she rolled over in a hill leading to a flowing river.

Ed, Al and Catherine gasped in horror. The blond then automatically knelt down and drew a circle on the ground. Before the girl was dipped to the river water, the long flow of fluid turned into hard ice. A look of surprise came to her when she wasn't drowning. She gazed up to see the three people whom she was so uncivil to.

"You're alchemists? And you save me?" She asked in confusion, the idea not mixing well with her beliefs. The trio gave her a 'yes' look and that took her to look down in shame of all she had done to them earlier.

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"It's been two years since my sister died mysteriously from the supernatural rumors that has been spreading in this town." Clause began, sorrow evident in her shaky voice. The trio just stayed silent for more.

"They say she just died but I don't believe them. I know that dead girl killed her…that Carin girl. She took anybody's lives including my sister's." The girl continued, balling her hands into tight fists of anger.

"So what do you say? You're alchemists, right? Can you help me?" Clause asked with hopeful eyes. Edward merely stood up and dug his gloved to his pockets and gazed his gold eyes on the dirty ground.

"I understand why Majahal won't reconsider it." Edward bluntly said, his eyes soft and calm.

"What?" Clause said in disbelief.

"Dead people can't be brought back to life. And even if, there's no way it can harm any living creature. And besides, I don't believe in revenge's motivation." Edward reasoned out in a gentle way, but for the girl, it was harsh enough.

"You're nothing but a bunch of chickens! Posing as alchemists when you're just a cowardly little pipsqueak and a btichy girl with their walking trash can!" The girl barked at them angrily, her offended form already on its feet.

Catherine and Edward both pop a vein in their heads while Al gloomed dark in his seat.

"Pipsqueak?" Edward squeaked in boiling anger.

"Bitch?" Catherine repeated with her right eye twitching uncontrollably.

"Trash can?" Al asked sadly like it's the most insulting thing he's ever heard.

3….

2…

1….

"Wanna let me show you how bitchy I can be?! You little _papergirl_!" Catherine said with anger the two brothers had never seen in her. They briefly looked at her wonderly until Edward made his famous move during a time like this. Because Edward always won in a screaming match like this. Always. Especially when it's about the height commentary.

"Nobody calls me a pipsqueak and gets away with it! Not even a little girl!" Edward threatened while raising his fists in the air.

"Oh, is that so. Gosh, I'm so terrified of a whiny little pipsqueak!" Clause said mockingly, steaming more rage out of the chibi alchemist. That's it, she just blown him off.

"SHUT UP AND TAKE A LOOK AT YOURSELF! IF YOU'RE A GIRL LIKE THEY SAY, THEN WHY ARE YOU DRESSED LIKE A PAPERBOY?!" Edward shouted his air out. This didn't pleased the girl and kicked some dirt on his face, literally.

"None of your business!!!" She yelled back and ran off like she did back in the house, leaving a growling Edward with a dusted face. They didn't go after her. The three already got enough of her rude remarks.

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"You can stay in one of my guest rooms for the night." Majahal offered, considering the night is getting deeper.

"Thank you very much sir." Al thanked politely with a bow. Majahal flashed him a smile and quirked his eyes to Catherine again, who noticed him immediately and looked back at him with dreadful crimson eyes.

"Did I already tell you that you have amazing eyes, young lady?" Majahal complimented. Maybe it sounded as a compliment to others, including Ed and Al, but to Catherine, it was nauseating.

"And wonderful eyes means you possess a beautiful and strong soul." Majahal continued, his snake - thirsty eyes never leaving Catherine's crimson ones.

"As they say, eyes are the windows of the soul." He added, which made the red – haired girl burn more holes on him. Al looked back at Catherine and quickly noticed the crouched face the girl is giving the man. He wonders why…

"C'mmon, let's go to sleep." she announced and head for their room. The other two followed suit not long after, leaving the man alone with his sinister smile plastered on his old face.

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"We sure are lucky that Majahal let us stay in his house." Al said while he placed their suitcases neatly on the bedside. He was waiting for an answer, but no one seemed to respond to his indirect conversation.

"What about you Cath? Mr. Majahal sure was nice to you. Although you kinda acted rude to him." Al told Catherine, who has her seat on the bed with her legs crossed.

"Oh, you mean that wacky creep? Yeah right." Catherine said with mock sarcasm. She obviously doesn't like the old man.

"Why would you say that?" Al asked.

"He's just an uncanny, old weirdo." Catherine barked.

"You have a unique way of showing your gratitude to the ones who just offered you a place to stay in." Edward chimed in as he removed his heavy red jacket. Catherine sighed as the two brothers challenge her to defend herself against them and just gave up with a lay of her back on the soft mattress.

"You couldn't understand because he didn't give you the look he's giving me." She reasoned out, her eyes glued on the beige ceiling.

"What look?" Al asked, taking his place on one of the chairs near her bed.

"A look of a hungry predator who just found his dinner, if you know what I mean." Catherine answered as she gazed at the armor. Al gasped worriedly.

"Does that mean he's a pedoph-" Al was abruptly cut off by a boot (obviously belongs to Catherine)been thrown at him, knocking his helmet off.

"Stop thinking dirty things you metallic perv. I don't mean anything like that." Catherine retorted in gritted teeth.

"Then what are you trying to say?" Edward asked this time.

"That there's something fishy about him. I can feel he's doing something wrong." Edward inwardly flinched as he heard what she said, because he just had the same feeling about that old guy.

"Yeah, and about the zombie issue. It really sounds..."

"Suspicious and irrational." Edward finished Al's sentence. The three remained utterly silent when a creaking sound made its way to Catherine's ears. She shot her head to the wall right to her, hearing that the strange sound came from that way. She wanted to ask the two if they heard it too, but since they didn't react a little, she guessed maybe it's just her imagination.

"What is it Cath? Something wrong?" Al asked her and she tore her eyes away from the wall to look at him, still dazed at the weird sound she just heard.

"It's…nothing." She lied slowly, resting her head fully on the pillow. Maybe she just needed some rest. Content with that thought, she put her palms under her head and surveyed the details of the cream – painted ceiling.

"Why don't we go out there and get to know about the people here? I think they're having a feast or something." Al informed, catching both Ed and Catherine's gazes.

Edward sighed.

"As much as I don't want to go out in that crowded place, let's do it for a little investigation. I really do feel odd about this place." Edward replied, standing his ground and made his way towards the door. Catherine replaced her view with the one seen on their window, different colors of light were glowing from the special gathering happening below them.

"Coming Cath?" Al asked, once again tearing Catherine from her own world.

"Yeah."

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As the trio walked down the hallway of the house, the squeaking sound from earlier came back to Catherine's sharp ear. She abruptly stopped from her tracks and shot her head to the direction where she heard the disturbing noise and was surprised that she came face to face with a wall.

_I was certain I heard it from there…_She thought as she observed the wooden wall with hard eyes.

"Hey, are you going or not?" Al asked, who had already reached the front door of the house, waiting for her to come as well.

"I think I left something in the room. Go on without me. I'll catch up later." She lied smoothly, convincing Al perfectly. She waited for the armor to be out of sight and earshot before she began to press her ear against the brown wall. She swiped to different parts of the wall until she finally heard the familiar noise. She pulled away her ear and touched the certain part of the wall, reading carefully the lines that designed the wood.

"What is that sound?" She asked quietly to herself, tapping the wood softly. She didn't stop there and began to give the wall some harder blows. Patience drained from her and she threw a powerful kick on the wood. Out of her expectation, the wall cracked open like a normal door. It looks like a secret passage.

She gasped when she eyed the mannequins sitting neatly on the wall cabinets of the hidden room. They were female mannequins, detailed with long, curly brown hair. If they were dressed with clothes, you can't even determine if they are real or not.

"What the…hell are these?" she said in utter shock.

"What a good girl, saving me the trouble of kidnapping." A sinister cackle came from her behind. She completely turned her body in one breath to look at the first man they met in this place.

"Majahal?" She was pissed with herself that she was even surprised.

"I knew you were a sick bastard at first hand. What wild games are you doing with these dolly toys of yours? Huh?" Catherine said sternly, her firing red eyes never leaving the man. Majahal just gave her a dark smile.

"You'll find out yourself." He simply answered and with that, a quick pang from her back head brought her to total blackness.

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A/N: Cliffie!!! This is the starting point of the spoilers of the anime….so this story is like a reversed version of the FMA anime….but a lot of plots are gonna be changed, like this one…if you watched the anime…you'll easily spot the changed I made…please more reviews….all kinds of reviews are acceptable here, just leave a review the time you read this…please? I crave for them…

By the way, I'll update the next part soon….


	11. Of soul and love part II

Chapter 11 – Of soul and love part II

Disclaimer: Ok Ok...I don't own anything..geez...stupid disclaimer always reminding me that I don't own any FMA characters...

A/N: Here's the next chapter….

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Music filled the whole town square accompanied by the background whispering and voices of the people who happened to attend the festival being held at the town. Foods are everywhere and all didn't give up the chance of the delicacies served on each table.

Apart from everyone, were two brothers sitting on one table, which is seemed isolated from the others. Both were silent and just observing everybody buzzing from one place to another. Edward was busy locating Majahal and other suspicious things around them. While Al…well, he was worrying over Catherine. She's been gone for more than an hour now.

"Brother? Why is Catherine not back yet?" Al asked to Edward who just quirked at him for a moment then ignored him to go back on investigating the place.

"She's not back for almost two hours." Al inquired and glanced over Majahal's house with worriment.

"Don't worry about her. Maybe she doesn't want to go here in the first place, so she probably just stayed in our room instead." Edward replied briefly and tried to look over the towering heads of the people passing by. And, in a glimpse, he saw a white glow from behind the trees. The blond alchemist widened his eyes from what he saw and stood from his seat in a split second, knocking his chair off.

"….think we should look for…brother?" Al cut himself off when he saw Edward's perplexed expression, like he saw a ghost or something. Edward continued to glue his golden eyes on the spot where he saw the light. After moments, the white light returned and Edward can make a silhouette of a person from it.

_A ghost?_

No. Edward doesn't believe in such irrational things like that. Being the curious child he is, he made his way to the trees where he found the mysterious light that he, himself is sure that it has something to do with alchemy. I mean, come on, aside from alchemy, what else could glow like that?

"Brother! Where are you going?!" Al followed suit with the sound of his clanking armor.

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Light slowly invaded her eyes as she tried to open it halfway.

"Ughhh.." Catherine groaned as the pain in her head welcomed her as she came back to reality. She cautiously glanced around and all she can see were mannequins splattered everywhere in the room. She noticed that she was sitting in a sturdy wooden chair with her ankles tied together. She tried to move from her place to untie the rope only to be pulled back to her position.

Catherine turned her head to her back to see her hands tightly joined by a rope behind her. She tried to struggle herself free but only find it useless.

"Damn it. He caught me." She whispered to herself and tried to find something around her to escape. There must be something she could do to get out from this mess. She tried to clap her hands behind her but found it difficult because it was tied in a back-to-back position, wherein the back of her hands are facing each other, making it impossible for her to connect her palms. All she can reach from her other hand were her bangles she wore even before she came from the gate.

"Does that guy know I can do alchemy without circles?" She asked quietly in an annoyed tone as she gave up on using alchemy. Darkness was reduced when someone opened the entrance to the room, revealing a dark figure making his way to the red – haired alchemist. The shadow lit a candle and Catherine confirmed that it's no other than Majahal.

Catherine grinded her teeth in sheer anger, red eyes stabbing the old man before her.

"What do you want, you creep?" She spat bluntly. Majahal didn't protest on her bad mood and just smirked slyly.

"You are very unique indeed. You're perfect for the next soul attachment." He stated mildly as he walked over to her until he bent down to her level with her face.

"So that's what you were planning. Mind if I know why?" Catherine said with venom in her voice. He smiled at her and stood up straight. Catherine looked up at him as he approached the dolls sitting at one of his wall cabinets and got one before turning back to her.

"Do you know who this face is?" Majahal questioned, cupping the face of the doll for the girl to see.

"How should I know?" She spat back.

"This is the most beautiful face ever existed, and her name is Carin. My beloved Carin." Catherine widened her eyes in the forming conclusion in her mind. Each piece coming to her one by one. She didn't let shock take over her that long and glared at him even more.

"So…that Carin you're talking about earlier was your sweetheart. And you're planning to attach my soul to that filthy rag so you can relive your days together? You're pathetic." Catherine snapped. This easily angered Majahal and grabbed Catherine's face violently, pressing his nails hard on her soft cheek so she could feel pain.

"I tried human transmutation but found it out of my potential. So I tried something that I can do and may bring Carin back….alchemy…" Majahal breathed to her face, continuing to held it tightly as she gasped heavily at the nails pricking her pale face.

"So I began to use these mannequins I made out of obsession to see my beloved back, and stole souls of any girl I snare." Majahal said to her maniacally, his eyes glowing with evilness.

"And what does that had to do with me? Why me?" Catherine choked out, finding difficulty to breath at the close distance of the old man.

"Because you're different. You're soul is strong enough to endure the transferring process for some reason. Unlike others who lost their control and mind and filled the rumors for the town." Majahal replied snidely, grinning from ear to ear.

"So it's your toys who played the role of zombies in this place. You…truly are a sick lunatic." Catherine gasped, gritting her teeth in fury and pain.

Majahal laughed hysterically and pulled out a sharp knife which glowed in the moonlight filtering throught the rooms thin glass window.

"Yes. You are a smart girl indeed." Majahal said as he shown her his weapon.

"You're not going to succeed." Catherine argued with her remaining strength.

"Oh yes I would. With the help of the sons of Hohenheim, I'll certainly perform it perfectly. The tin can brother is assurance enough." The girl growled at the man's petty scheme. With Ed's help, this man can surely achieve the soul attachment. But, those two will surely decline to obey Majahal's orders. Ed and Al are not that idiotic as far as she knows. So she doesn't need to think about that.

All she needs to do is to find a way out of here. She didn't agree to go with Ed and Al to die like this. She traveled with them to help them regain their lost. So she can get rid of the visions somehow. Yes. That's her priority and nothing can get in her way. Even a crazy obsessed bastard like Majahal.

Catherine, who still have her face in Majahal's gripped hand, laughed slightly, confusing the man a bit.

"So are you telling me, that you don't care if it's not Carin's soul living in that doll? That…you chose her face over her soul?" Catherine stated more than questioned. Majahal flared with rage at the girl's words and sliced a deep cut across her right cheek.

"Ahhhh!" Catherine grimaced in pain at the long cut made on her face. Blood soon escaped from the wound to stain the cold floor.

"You must be thankful that I can't kill you, so just shut your big mouth." Majahal warned in a low voice then let go of her face before exiting the room, leaving the girl to suffer in the agony of the opened bruise he made.

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"Brother? Why are we here?" Al whimpered as he and Edward ventured the dark cemetery of the town with nothing but an oil lamp for light.

"I saw something here and wanted to check out." Edward reasoned out as he continued his tracks with Al behind him, cautiously watching his every side for anything scary. Because he was so busy lurking for any "ghosts", Edward was walking way ahead of him.

"Wait for me!" Al squeaked with fear and quickly ran to Edward's behind.

"What are you? Scared?" Edward asked with an arched eye brow.

"Uh…well…" Al stuttered with fear and embarrassment.

"All the rumors here are obviously just the cause of someone using alchemy in the wrong way. Just…like what we did." It was difficult for him to say as he lowered his voice. Al noticed this and began to consume his brother's sad reminisce.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Ed and Al screamed as the ground they were stepping on turned into a hole and they awfully fell on the dug ground.

Unfortunately for Ed, Al was on top of him.

"Yeah! We got her! We got her!" Clause came running towards the pit hole trap, calling for her friends for them to see. By the time she got there, she noticed that she got the wrong prey.

"My….back….again?" Ed squirmed under Al's huge armor crushing his backbone even more he had them earlier.

"You again?" She asked, irritated. Clause sighed in exasperation and placed her hands on her hips.

"False alarm!" She announced snidely and walked away, not bothering to help the brothers out.

"L—ook!" A boy mused in terror, pointing a shaking finger on a certain direction. Clause swiveled her head to see a glowing woman before her sisters' grave. The black color in her eyes turned to dots.

"AHHHHH!!!!" The other boys screamed in horror and stormed out of the scene. Ed and Al, on the other hand, managed to get half of their bodies halfway out of the hole but stopped dead when they saw the woman with white light like a ghost.

"She's…the one I saw earlier." Ed whispered to himself.

"You killed my sister…you killed my sister!!!!" Clause yelled and charged after the glowing woman with pure rage.

"Clause! NO!" Ed called for her but she ignored him and continued to run towards the woman and stopped a few feet away from her.

"You killed my sister."Clause said in a low dangerous voice, balling her fists tightly. The woman glanced back at her in response, with blank features visible in her colorless eyes. The woman was like gonna attack Clause but before it can happen, Majahal magically shielded Clause and burned down the creature before them with the fire in his lamp.

The woman was helplessly barbequed alive in the large fire engulfing her whole body, and slowly fell on the ground with nothing but ashes, making a weird, screeching sound before it was with the wind of nothingness.

Edward narrowed his gaze at the burning form of the lady, recording the sound he just heard in his memory.

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Catherine remained silent and stiff the entire time Majahal left her, the wound he left in her face still streaking with fresh blood. She can't do anything right now. All she can do now is to wait and think of something.

Cutting her eerie peace in the isolated room, a light emerged from one of the dark corners of the room. Catherine got her eyes blinded by the sudden brightness and looked up closely as to where it's coming from.

From what she saw was one of the mannequins moving out of her place with life. Catherine tensed at the terrifying sight she got.

The white woman, probably Carin as Majahal had said, glued her blank eyes to the tied alchemist on the center of the room. Everything became spookier for Catherine when Carin stepped slowly to her direction, each inch closer to her steals her every heart beat.

Sweat trickled from the side of her head as the woman was glowing with white light in front of her, but even with the frightened feeling she was in now, she can feel that there's a living soul inside the lifeless doll.

Carin raised her arm and Catherine automatically closed her eyes in fear and anticipation of something despicable the ghostly woman might do. She remained that way for agonizingly long moments but was surprised when nothing came. The red haired girl slowly opened her eyes to see that the woman's arm was not on something to harm her, but was pointing on somewhere beneath her.

Curiosity grown on her and she gazed down at where the finger was directed and was stunned to see a wide alchemy array drawn under her and found out that she's in the center of the circle.

"What the?" Catherine appalled, her enlarged ruby orbs glazing down the transmutation circle made under her feet. She only had seen it because of the light the woman was providing her as she stood there.

"Be…careful." An echoic voice escaped from Carin's mouth, startling Catherine a bit. She lifted her eyes on her, trying to presume her message.

"Be…care-" The mannequin was cut off when it's lively glow slowly drained from her body then fell limply on the floor. Catherine widened her eyes on the doll laying dead at her feet, breathing heavily. As the final sparks of light faded completely from her body, a squeaking sound sounded from the lifeless body.

She gasped at the familiar noise.

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The brothers chose to go back to their room after the tiring excursion they had in the cemetery. Both of them have put on their thinking faces, trying to figure out something about the mysterious lady back in the graveyard.

"Catherine didn't show at the festival. I wonder where she is…" Al thought loudly. As he said this, Edward turned his head at the sound he heard from Majahal's house.

"Brother?" Al asked at his sudden spacing out.

"Did you hear that noise Al?" Ed asked, his eyes never leaving the structure where the sound came from.

"Hear what?" Al asked curiously.

"The sound the woman back in the cemetery made, did you hear it?" Ed asked once more.

"No. Why?"

"But did you hear it now?"

"No. What's going on brother?" Al asked with growing confusion.

"Let's go." Edward walked out towards the house with speed, leaving Al with even more growing confoundment.

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An ear was pressed on the wooden wall and after hearing nothing a white gloved hand knocked it once to hear a hollow sound.

"Brother what are you doing?" Al asked with slight irritation of not telling him what's going on.

"The sound the woman back in the cemetery, I also heard it from here." Ed replied.

"Majahal will not be pleased if he finds out here you're snooping around his household." A female voice came.

Both heads turned to see the old woman who gave a strawberry jam to Majahal earlier this night.

"Well maybe he'll be mad if I found out about what you're hiding in this house!" Ed shot back heatedly. The woman didn't respond and held the candle closer to Edward's sight. It didn't take a second before Edward's world spun and he held the wall opposite from him for support, only to have it opened like a hidden passage.

He looked up with his blurry vision to caught a glimpse of Catherine tied up in a chair placed in the center of the room.

Soon darkness ate his mind…

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Not long after, Ed and Al were tied up too, only with metal chains and were placed on the side of the room, not far from where Catherine is bounded. And as lucky as they are at the moment, Ed is still out cold.

"Catherine, what are you doing here?" Al asked his companion.

"Shouldn't it be me who must ask that?" Catherine asked back snidely. Al sighed. She can be stubborn at times.

"Ed and I got caught from sneaking here. How about you?" Al answered, looking at her for answer.

She sighed as well. "Long story short – I also sneaked up here and got caught and now the lunatic is going to use my friggin' soul to bring his toys to life." She told like it's-just-as-simple-as-that tone.

"Well…that was a little long." Al confined, earning a snide smirk from the girl.

"Not funny. So not the time for jokes." She remarked with sly eyes perking at his armor.

"But you laughed." Al corrected.

"No I didn't." She defended with a slight chuckle, turning her head fully to him, making him see the long bruise that decorated her cheek. Catherine stopped smiling when she felt the burning eyes of Al on her wounded face.

"Don't worry. It's just a little cut." She assured, abruptly turning to face away.

"Is Ed still out cold?" She asked timidly.

"Seems to be." Al answered, looking over his unconscious brother.

"Try waking him up." Catherine ordered. Al obliged her and shook Ed slightly.

"Brother! Brother wake up!" Al called for his older sibling. He only stirred a little when Majahal came to view.

"Well well well, now that everyone's here, let's get started. Shall we?" Majahal boomed with the displeasure of the two conscious hostages.

"Forget it asshole. They're not going to do it. You're just wasting your time." Catherine sneered at him with bitterness.

"Ughh…" Ed stirred awake exactly to see Majahal talking to them.

"Brother, you're awake!" Al said with relief. Edward glanced around to see Catherine in the same condition there are in.

"Cath?" He asked for confirmation.

"Edward, you've awaken." Majahal greeted to him, earning a scowl from the young blond.

"You…sick old geezer." Edward growled at him. Majahal smiled at him evilly which turned into a sophisticated laugh.

"So, what are you exactly doing with your toys?" Ed asked coyly as he looked around the doll display decorating the room's cupboards.

"Toys? They're mannequins specifically designed for soul attachment. And with that, I just want you to know that you'll be helping me so I can bring my Carin back. I hope you don't mind using your little friend here for the soul." Majahal stated. Edward gritted his teeth in anger.

"You BASTARD!" Edward shouted in fury.

"Hahahaha! What a loud child you are." Majahal mused with bitter enthusiasm. Edward hardened his glare, his golden orbs flaring with hot anger.

"You'll get nothing from us, so let us go." Edward warned dangerously which only answered by a cackle.

"You're pretty brave I must say. But you're not leaving. Not until you helped me bind her soul to the body of my beloved Carin like what you did to your little brother there." Al gasped at the mention of his name and Edward's flowing hate towards the man continued.

"So….you chose body over soul." Ed stated.

"Don't talk nonsense. You're just a foolish child and know nothing about love." Majahal snapped dreadfully and walked over to Catherine to cup her face hardly like what he did earlier, only to give more ache to the girl's face because of the fresh cut on her cheek.

"Catherine!" Al called out.

"Stop it you greasy bastard!" Edward yelled.

Majahal flashed them both a dark smile and focused his devil eyes to Catherine, who widened her red orbs in fear of what the man was going to do.

_"Be ….careful…"_ The doll's voice echoed through her mind.

Catherine's conscious mind began to panic as she tried to shuffle her tied hands behind her to escape this scenario someway. But the only thing she could grab a hold on was her hanging bangles in her left hand. She's hopeless in escaping.

"Sir Majahal…" A girl's voice said in excitement fading into a small scary one. Majahal turned slowly at her, the eyes of danger coming her way.

"I just wanted to say thank you…" Clause whispered in awe.

"Foolish child."

"RUN CLAUSE!" The three called in unison but before the girl made any move, Majahal knocked her unconscious in one bang of his hand on the back of her head.

"AL! Do something!" Ed ordered hastily. Al took the move and elongate the metal chains tying them up through his strong metal arms.

"Just a little more…Got it!" The chains then broke free from them and the first move they took was to help Catherine out.

"Don't you even try to think about it!" Majahal's booming voice halted them into a stop. He was holding an unconscious Clause in his arms, a sharp knife neatly placed inches away from her neck.

"Or I'll cut this girl's neck into half." Majahal threatened. The two, considerate of the girl's life, stayed back obediently.

"You coward. Picking on children. Maybe you are some sort of sadistic pedophile." Catherine grunted.

Majahal just smirked at her then carried Clause in bridal style. Both of those actions were not good signs at all.

"I want to make your soul transfer perfectly, so I'll have some practice with this little girl first." He simply said and made his way to do so when…

"Stop this! I can't take this anymore!" The old woman who made Edward doped out cold earlier shouted in and grabbed a hold of Majahal.

"Then get the hell out of here! Old hag!" Majahal pushed her off him and continued on his outrageous plans.

Edward quickly came to the woman's aide and bent down to her level to help her, when he noticed the blue rose tucked in her hair like a clip. He didn't notice it before because of the hood she's always wearing.

"Blue…rose." Edward gasped in realization.

Al tried to move his way to Catherine when she herself stopped him.

"Don't. Just help Clause. I'll be fine." Catherine commanded as she struggles with the ring bracelets hanging in her other hand, attempting to break them into pieces somehow.

"But-"

"Just do it!" Catherine ordered angrily and Al found no chance to argue with her. So, he proceeded to where Clause has her sleeping form and badly, Majahal already started the transmutation and the array beneath the girl's feet glew with life.

The old man started to chant words of ritual as he performs his alchemy, holding a book in his arms as he did so. But before anything could get any further, Edward's alarming voice stretched to Majahal's ears.

"Stop this craziness Majahal…!"

Majahal stopped the current task at hand to deal with the blond kid bothering him since he came in this town.

"The one your looking for…is only under your nose for years. Because of your blindness to see the beautiful face of Carin, you didn't recognize the real one." Ed stated, bringing all the confusion to the wrinkled old alchemist.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Majahal demanded with silent disbelief.

Edward didn't answer his interrogation and just pulled off the gray robe the old woman beside him wears, revealing the blue rose clipped neatly between her grayish hair.

"This is Carin. She lost her memory after an accident, but twenty years later, she recovered her memory and came back straight to you. But you were to blind to see it was her." Majahal stepped back a little at the young blond's words, dropping the book he was holding with disbelief.

On the other side of the room, Catherine watched the scene happening between Edward and Majahal and solved some mysteries in her head as she successfully broke the bangles in her wrist into pieces. The shattered pieces fell to the floor with a small tinkle and she managed to catch one of the pieces, the one with the sharp edge on it.

She grinned in her own way as she gripped the pointed piece in her fingers. Even she couldn't see anything from her behind, she placed the pointed edge against her arm and began to cut through her flesh wrist, carefully keeping a hairline away from her pulse, creating a rather thin but deep line of blood along her skin. She quietly winced in pain as she continued her way to draw on her own skin.

After a minute of enduring the small pain, an circle lined with blood was seen in her wrist. By the looks of it, she made her wound to shape like an alchemic array.

"It's true, Majahal." The old woman, or rather Carin, confirmed.

"This is impossible! Are you telling me that this wrinkled old woman is Karin? Karin was a woman of incomparable beauty...just like a rose." Majahal muttered quietly everytime his eyes grew more on the old woman gazing on him.

"Exaclty like a rose. Flowers wither Majahal." Edward breathed, truth tied in his strong words. But on the contrary, Majahal flared in anger by this and crouched his face with hatred.

"Don't talk nonsense anymore!" He yelled and withdraw a sword by transmuting one of the random metals in the room. He wildly slayed it towards Edward's direction but even before the lethal weapon wounded the alchemist, Alphonse blocked it with his armor body in time.

Catherine saw the phenomenon before her and quickly touched the bloody circle on her hand which instantly glew with life and broke the ropes she was immobilized with.

"DIE!" Majahal screamed with pure hatred in his dark eyes and backed his sword to strike Edward to death. As if on cue, a sound of clapping came to fill the room and soon a giant fist came in and punched Majahal across the wall opposite to him, making the cement crack at the force, knocking him completely out cold. Blue light from the transmutaion was still eliciting from the dirt fist and all eyes ventured to the source, only to be surpirsed to who saved them.

"Cath?" Al asked wonderly, still having a hard time believing that the girl is the one who actually wiped the enemy out. Edward, who was not ignorant that she didn't use any circle for alchmey, stared at her questioningly.

The red haired girl soon straightened for her bent position on the floor and smiled at them confidently. She palmed one hip and gave them a thumb up.

Al beamed at her a glad gasped escaped from him(probably his way of smiling) and Edward, despite his assortment, gave her a lopsided smile of his own.

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It was a hot morning and the trio were already outside waiting for the carriage that will carry them back to the train station. Edward stood in the middle of the road, waiting for the ride to come while the other two were sitting on a bench near their companion.

"Is your wound fine now?" Al asked in his usual gentle voice.

"Don't worry too much about it. It's just a simple cut." Catherine shrugged it off just like that.

"Your wound, it's shaped like an alchemic circle." Al mentioned, making the girl's eyebrows furrow a little. She doesn't like it when something about her that she doesn't want to tell anyone just being blown up like that. But it was pretty obvious so...

"Well, I need to do something to untie myself from there, right?" Catherine replied with a sigh as she placed both of her hands on the back of her head. Al sighed in defeat at her stubborn subtleness.

"Catherine." Edward called her name, making the girl open one of her closed eyes to give him some of her attention.

"What?" She voiced boringly. Edward has the face of seriousness as he asked,

"Back in Majahal's house…you did alchemy without circles, didn't you?"

Catherine's attention was driven to him and she shot up to look at him square in the eyes. Ed did the same thing to her and an uncomfortable wind of silence passed them for a moment.

She gave up first and bowed her head, and smirked in weird amusement that Edward easily broke her little secret that she was about to tell them sooner or later.

_They will know it eventually…so why keep it? _Catherine thought smugly and turned her eyes once again to him.

"So…what if I can?" She answered in her usual cold voice that masked her very feeling and emotion.

Edward shot her a dirty look and was about to shout at her when their ride came. They hopped on the carriage without any word passing, even Al badly wants to break the tension growing.

"HEY! WAIT!" A girl called as the group finished placing their belongings on the back of the wooden carriage.

Three heads jerked on her way and all they can see was a girl with shoulder lengthed dark hair wearing a neat off – shoulder flow dress. She was a total stranger to the trio.

"I…just wanted to say goodbye and thank you for all you've done." The girl stammered shyly to them.

"And your great alchemists after all!" She exclaimed with sparks in her eyes. Regardless that, Ed, Al and Catherine looked at her blankly.

"We know…but who are you?" Edward asked, pointing a finger towards her.

"Call me crazy brother but..." Al started.

"I think that's…Clause." Catherine continued, her voice still dazed with surprise. The girl nodded simuntaneously in return. When the response registered in their minds, they screamed in terror.

"Will you guys grow up!" Clause demanded offendedly. After the aftershocks of the old papergirl now dressed as a true, pretty girl, Catherine stepped towards her and placed a hand over her shoulder.

"You sure look girlier than me now." She said jokingly and gave her a small smile. Clause blushed a little as the trio went back to their seats on the ride.

"And…" Edward shortly said to Clause and drew her attention back.

"…you're definitely much prettier when you're not dressed like a paperboy." Edward commented at her, making her blush again.

Clause waved her arm goodbye as the carriage moved its way to the dirty road towards the train station.

Where should they head now?

* * *

A/N: Ok sorry for the delay…with all the homeworks and all….next chapter will be…I really don't know when…this story isn't like by the many after all…oh well…


	12. The same arm as his part I

A/N: Sorry for the pretty, pretty late update...I totally have no excuses...I'm just so lazy these days...besides not many likes this story pretty much anyway so whatever...

Disclaimer: Don't own anything...I get it...

Chapter 12 - The same arm as his part I

Birds sang with the soothing melody of the morning breeze with the sun just getting ready to blast some shine after its 12-hour stand.

Air still lingered with the coolness of the early atmosphere along with the thin rays of sunshine hitting the waking earth. But it seems that at the train station, people lost track if its so early or not. Or if they're already late for their ride.

"If we just walked through here instead of waiting for that stupid, slacky carriage; we could've made it you know." A red - haired girl chided with her usual monotone voice, jerking her head to the side to let her braided crimson locks fall over her small shoulders. Her blood red eyes, even partly curtained with a few strands of bangs, didn't fail to project its irritation.

"It's no big deal. The next train will be here soon." Al said, busying himself to buy some snacks for long trip from a food stand near them. Even with the lack of senses, his hollow eyes strive to choose the most favorable bread in the bundles presented to him.

"You mean 'three hours' soon. And all we have to do is to grill our brains under the unforgiving heat of the fireball up there(she's referring to the sun:)). Yeah, no big deal. I can handle it." She adds sarcastically, her back still facing the armored boy who apparently still has his attention on the pile of fresh crumbs. He could've sworn he can see the angry crouch forming in her face.

"Why don't you just help me here? Do you think these'll taste good?" Al offered, pointing a gloved finger over the rounded - shaped breads isolated from the other assorted delicacies. Catherine threw her head over her shoulder to advocate his request, only to comply him a response of a heave of exasperation. The girl then turned herslef fully to him with a hand laid over the hem of her baggy capri pants. Her stone eyes bored on the steaming, freshly baked, obviously homemade breads. Just smelling its aroma tells you how tasty it was. She opened her mouth to agree but her grumbling stomach saved her from doing so. She dropped her head in defeat, her need for food was more of desperate than embarrassing.

"We did skip breakfast." She pointed out, palming her empty and complaining tummy.

"Yeah...I guess." Al replied with a sweat drop hanging in his helmet.

Edward, on the other hand, was fumbling with the buttons on the telephone booth. Once all the digits were pressed, a ring erupted his ears. Within a few seconds, it was replaced with a baritone voice saying,

"Hello. Mustang here."

"He-hello Lt. Colonel Mustang-" He almost shouted out of corrosiveness.

"Take it easy...it's like you've been rehearsing this or something..." Roy said with humor but it only humiliate Ed more.

"Sorry Lt. Colonel-I mean Mustang-I mean Roy! This is Edward Elric reporting train 9: 14 to Central!" He informed through one breath.

"Roger that..." Mustang replied and got a sheet of schedule of the train Edward dictated. The train they'll having is written before the one encircled with red ink.

"Wait a minute...there's another train leaving before that, isn't there?" He checked.

"Ah yeah...but we got a little detour so we kinda got late and I think it's already leaving..." Ed replied with a more settled voice than earlier.

"Get on it." He heard the other line ordered.

"W-why does it matter?" Edward asked, confused of his sudden lines of commands.

"Take it or go home!" Roy yelled on the line and banged the phone down. With that, he served himself a defiant smile on his lips.

"Let's test their luck..." The dark haired lieutenant announced after he gave his first order on his brand new subordinate - Edward Elric.

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"AL! CATH! BOARDING TIME!" Ed declared and at perfect timing he always has, the train just fortunately started heating on its heels. His two companions almost dropped their jaws down the ground in shock.

"Why all of a sudden?!" Al managed to follow up as he and Catherine ran with Ed to catch the speeding train, all the while having a hard time keeping the contents of the paper bag in his hands from spilling as he cope up with their sprinting.

"Orders!" Ed answered, his focus on how to pull out a miracle to get their asses on a damn leaving train. If that's possible.

"This is the second reason why we should've walked here." Catherine mumbled under her breath before taking an impatient large bite on her bread.

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Ed's pearly white teeth peeled the soft surface of the baked good, its sharp edges chewing the flesh - colored bread into tiny little tidbits, satisfying his taste buds and undoubtly crying stomach. Catherine copied his eating habits in a quite the same manner for a girl when she rummaged her second piece with a hungry bite, eating almost half of the ball - sized bread in once. As she had said, they did skip the morning meal.

Al merely gazed his hollow eyes at the flashing sceneries before them, grateful that they are now riding on the train that was suppose to leave them right about now. But out of the small mercies of the heavens above, the three miraculously made it so far. How did they actually did it? Let's just say it has something to do with ropes and throwing suitcases. Well, we'll just keep it in one of our _histories_.

"This Mustang guy, aside from his arrogant figure and highly - issued god complex; do you really think he got the hand to pull us closer in getting out bodies back?" Ed murmured through his full mouth.

"How can you say that brother? You only met him once."Al aimed at him.

"I just have the ability to recognize people's traits in one look. It's a gift actually." Ed bragged while tossing the food in his hand before shooting it in his hole.

"You can only see the worst of people, brother." Al corrected plainly.

"Whatever." was Ed's uninterested answer, cutting their current conversation.

"How about you Cath? You met him before we did right?" The armor turned to the person sitting next to his brother, her cool eyes gestured to him at the sound of her name.

"Well...he's not actually different from what Ed said. He is kind of...cocky for my opinion." She pursued as she leaned deeper in her seat, letting her weary body to have some rest.

"See..I told you..." Ed marked reassuringly, losing Al to prove his brother wrong.

"But we still don't know yet...maybe he has some kind of authority that might help us to get the connections we need, which is the sole purpose of this trip to Central, right? To find a method to restore your original bodies?" Catherine pressed aimlessly, catching Edward to be serious thinking.

"Yeah...he does call himself Lt. Colonel. Sounds like a highly - qualified soldier." The eleven - year - old concluded, his golden eyes narrowed with gravity.

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Inside the telephone booth...

"She's the most adorable creature in existence!" A man with rectangular glasses screeched over the phone, totally not minding the current stimulation of the person on the other line. This man, aside from his personality, has bright topaz eyes behind his spectacles. His toothy grin matched his current mood, only it didn't quite mix with the one he's talking to.

"How many times do I have to tell you? This line isn't for personal purposes..." Roy Mustang grounded. Boy, he had to put his patience in check before he snaps a ball of fire in his office.

"Say...You seem pretty tight nowadays...why don't get yourself wife?"He purred.

There's only one option to end this pointless conversation.

**Bang.**

"Easy on the phone sir." A woman with short blond hair reminded dryly at her blazing officer.

Dial tone greeted Hughes' eardrums and he glared at the phone with blame.

"Lousy telephone lines! Cutting off my conversations...I can't do anything here!" Maes Hughes whined, unaware of the pissed off acquaintance leering at him from the outside of the booth.

"You're the only we can't do anything at!" A man with slitted eyes yelled through the glass. From his light gray hair you'll mistake him as a 50 - year - old cowboy. But in fact, he's just in his late twenties.

"How can they let me handle a train full of soldiers with a family of four...and a lovebird.." Falman growled with aggravation, strolling away to leave another conversation Hughes was making to do more of his 'obligations'.

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"Hey Al." The girl called out after the hours of silence that passed. The armor swiveled his head to his friend's call, tearing his blank stare on the window.

"What is it?"

"Don't you get the feeling...that we're being watched?" She questioned, her sharp eyes ventured any suspicious figures lingering around them if there's any.

"No." Al replied.

Catherine grunted and continued to search for the source of the strange feeling. Maybe it's just imagination, but she trusts her instincts too much to ignore it. It's her strong instincts that brought her to the brothers. Might as well use it at any time like this.

Little did she know that there was a pair of men in black overcoats, their unwavering eyes under their shaggy hats glued on the spectacle armor seen from their seat.

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"Oh did I tell you that she's having a baby?!"

On the other line, more intense tapping was made by the burning Colonel, his eyebrows twitching with shortage of benevolence.

"Hughes...you've told me this fifty times already..." Roy told in between gritted teeth.

"What if she's having the baby tomorrow?! Or the other day?! Oh I'm not ready yet!" Hughes squealed unlikely for a man he is.

"If you have emotional problems going on in yourself why don't you deal them with your wife?!" Roy grounded over the speaker.

"Well yeah I talked to her this morning...she's hotter when pregnant! Oh the miracle of hormones..." Hughes exclaimed with bright stars sparkling in his eyes.

"THEN STOP BOTHERING ME!" Mustang yelled with his good hand ready to torch the man on the other line (if it's that even possible).

Riza Hawkeye then picked phone from her desk and spoke,

"Sorry to interrup sir but I think you need some feminine advice..." She began, taking a dep breath...

"BABIES AREN'T BORN AFTER JUST FIVE MONTHS!"

The train whistled to its maximized volume, shattering the ears of those in the front cart.

"Sorry didn't catch you there." With that the goofy soldier placed the phone back with a bewildered expression in his face. " She actually thinks we're serious here?"

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"Sir!"

Falman swiveled his attention to his subordinates as an answer.

"What is it?"

"We saw a guy in armor sitting amongst the other passengers!"

"Yeah! I think he's gonna charge at anytime soon!" Falman bolted away at that last statement, hoping he can make it to the phone before anything abominable occurs.

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"Okay Hughes...I got a confirmation from the infirm that we're not being tapped...so how's the train...any unordinary objects?"Roy checked over the phone, a serious tension enveloping their now business conversation.

"No...no person no object...just the ordinary." He assured until another line rang. He let Roy hang in the other line while he associate at the new call.

"What is it?"

"Major! It's an emergency! There's this guy ready for an assault!" Falman's panic voice stretched to the ears of the listening soldier.

"Did you find any weapons? Guns?" Hughes interrogated.

"NO! It's this giant suit of armor!" Falman cleared.

"Armor?" With that fits of chuckles were heard from Mustang's line. With confusion and curiosity, Hughes came back to him to know what's so amusing about a serious case like this.

"That guy is fine...and there's other two with him...one's a girl and the other's a blond boy...sort of a pipsqueak..."

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Peace was hanging in the air in the small space the Elric brothers were occupying. Al just remained still for an armor as he kept an eye for his brother who was laying on the seat opposite to him with his stomach exposed to the public...again. Catherine, on the other hand, was obviously bored with her chin resting at the back of her hand, scooting as far as possible from the humiliating figure beside her.

He's been reminding him for the umpeeth time since they got in this train to keep the sight of his tummy to himself. Because surely not _everyone _admires to see it.

Silence was snapped like a toothpick when running footsteps came to their direction. Al glanced up to see a foreign man with light gray hair and pointed eyes observing them from head to toe, as if he's picturing someone in them. Next was Catherine who didn't even encourage the man's presence in front of them. His gaze was then on his snoozing brother, his eyebrows raised inquisitively.

"He's right...he is small..." He elaborated without hesitation...that is if he knows what kind of reaction he'll get in the first place.

Ed's eyes darkened with murdering aura and launched forward to strangle the being who made the height comment, not even minding who really the person is.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A SMALL SPECK OF DUST YOU CAN SQUASH WITH ONE STEP YOU JERK!" The chibi alchemist barked at him with full intensity of a wild animal.

"Easy kid...I'm just repeating what the Colonel said..." Falman excused while backing away from the fired up boy. Children nowadays sure are temperamental.

_Click._

"Just be obedient and nobody gets hurt." A man from one of the seats deliberated, pointing his gun directly to Falman's skull. All the passengers, including Ed, Al, and Catherine suspended their hands on the air in cooperation. Falman tried to put some resistance by aiming his own pistol to one of them, but little did he know that there are more than one of them. A guy from behind knocked the soldier out with his barrel, letting the man to drop out cold on the wooden platform.

"Cooperate properly and we'll spare on taking your lives." Catherine merely squinted her ruby orbs at them while Edward reacted with a crabby frown forming in his features.

"Maybe they're the one whose watching us after all." Al whispered to them.

A/N: Sorry but this is all I got for now...part two will come out soon...:D

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	13. The same arm as his part II

Chapter 13 – The same arm as his part II

Disclaimer: I don't own anything..just Catherine

Note: SO SORRY FOR THE SUPER LATE UPDATE! Our stupid computer won't let any MS Office Program to work and we have to find someone who can install a whole new program. And tell you what…the waiting in between was hell…anyway…

I would like to thank Princess dela Luna for supporting and believing in me! She's the one who inspired me to do this chapter so for that she'll receive a virtual cake that says, "Thanks a bunch."

And… like I said in the earlier chapter, this story will contain spoilers from the anime maybe even from manga but I'm putting some twists…just wanted to let you know…

Anyways I hope you'll read this thing…and review hopefully…

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_Click._

_"Just be obedient and nobody gets hurt." A man from one of the seats deliberated, pointing his gun directly to Falman's skull. All the passengers, including Ed, Al, and Catherine suspended their hands on the air in cooperation. Falman tried to put some resistance by aiming his own pistol to one of them, but little did he know that there are more than one of them. A guy from behind knocked the soldier out with his barrel, letting the man to drop out cold on the wooden platform._

_"Cooperate properly and we'll spare on taking your lives." Catherine merely squinted her ruby orbs at them while Edward reacted with a crabby frown forming in his features._

_"Maybe they're the one whose watching us after all." Al whispered to them._

The trio raised their hands to their heads along with the other passengers, eyeing the four gunmen as hardly as possible. Catherine and Ed didn't respond to Al's statement, seeing it's already obvious. Ed's gold eyes side – glanced to his other two companions, trying to formulate a plan with them. Catherine slumped her shoulders and sighed as a sign of her lack of ideas while Al glanced back at him nervously. He turned away from them with a heavy sigh of his own. He, himself, has a hell no idea of what decoy they can do.

It's not long after when one of the men quirked his slanted eyes on the three, noticing Al the most because of his attire. "Helmet, take it off." The man ordered with a demanding aim of his pistol.

Edward gritted his teeth in panic and annoyance. They can't know what's inside of Al. Or that nothing is inside of Al. This will surely spread through whole Amestris about a mystical walking suit of armor and god knows what can happen. Al can be taken away from him. He can't take that risk. He has to do something. _Anything, dammit._

So Edward Elric did what came first in his mind.

"LOOK!" He exclaimed with big smoldering eyes of childish astonishment, pointing a gloved finger behind the four men. One of them, who commanded Al to remove his helmet, dumbly followed his direction.

"What the there's nothing-"

The alchemist bought the time to lunged to the air and smacked his automail knee on the man's nose, breaking it to half as well as knocking him unconscious to the floor. The remaining three didn't remain still and quickly charged their guns at Edward when a rather hard leather boot knocked the gun out from one of them. He didn't get the time to search for his weapon when a kick by a flying boot attacked his skull, letting him join his comrade on the floor.

"Nice shot Cath." Al complimented to her as she picked her black boot from one of the seats, putting it back to her shoeless foot when one of the gunmen was looming behind her to smash his barrel on Catherine.

"Catherine LOOK OUT!" The armor screeched and involuntarily sliced the side of his metal hands on the center of the man's head, making his mouth hang open from the cringing pain ringing in his head before he fell dreamily on the platform. The last one was already shaking in fear with his pistol still pointed at them, although they doubt he can make a clear shot from his trembling hands. Edward turned a glare towards the last man, frightening the man to shoot his gun impulsively at him.

"BROTHER!" Al screamed and approached Ed who was kneeling at his pained arm.

"You bastard…" The alchemist muttered under his breath, standing on his feet once again, not a streak of pain in his voice.

"Brother, are you alright?" Al asked worriedly over his older brother, only to see that no blood was shed from him aside from the burned hole on his right arm. Because of the man's diddering hands, his aim became poor and shot Ed's automail instead. Then gunman looked at the small alchemist who seems to hover over him because of the extreme fury he can feel growing in him.

"Do you know how much this cost me?" Ed asked, his voice whispered in a dangerous manner. The man quivered terribly from fear and dropped his gun soundly on the floor.

"Uh…Ed?" Al asked meekly, afraid of his brother as well.

"_Do you know how much this cost me?! For you to have the right to go free burning holes on it!"_ He raged at the man and threw a pretty strong right cut to his cheek, sending him flying backward until he slammed to the end of the rear car, sliding helplessly until he fell face first on the hard platform.

The alchemist was still panting heavily from the other side with the arm that punched the man still extended in front of him, his resentment for the man still throbbing in his veins. Everybody became quiet at the sight of it, thinking that making any sound would make him or her be the next in line.

"He just had to overdo it, hadn't he?" Catherine said with an air of exasperation in her voice. Al merely sweat dropped in agreement.

After a while Edward ended his enragement with a heavy sigh and pulled his sleeve up to his elbow to see the metal bullet half – buried on his arm's metal plate. He pulled the bullet off the mail to see a deep indent it left. He then flexed his fingers to check if it affected the nerve connections. And fortunately, his fingers moved with ease, saving him from any possible head concussions, for now. Winry will surely be furious about this. _How many times do I have to tell you to stop sabotaging my beautiful creation?! _He can even hear her yelling in his head.

"What do you think you've done?" One of the passengers rebuked, taking the trio a back.

"Yeah! If they found out that their comrades are gone, we're all gonna die here!" A woman's voice followed.

"If we just let the military take care of this maybe we can make it to Central!" With that a line of buzzing blames and chides filled the car, setting Al, Ed and Catherine in big dilemma as to what the next step is.

"As ungrateful as they are, they do have a point, though." Catherine interjected with defeat.

"What now?" Al supplied with a questioning glance to his brother who only gave him a helpless troubled eyes.

"Didn't plan that far." Ed admitted sheepishly.

"Mmmnnn! Mnnmmnn!" Murmured whimpers were heard coming from one of the compartment and when they glanced around to see they saw a tied up Falman crawling like a helpless worm just out of its hole.

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A man about his fifties stared at the flashing sceneries presented in his window, a content simile spread across his face. Tearing his gaze from the glass window after twenty minutes of site seeing, his old blue eyes wavered to a woman in her late forties sitting in the compartment across from him, with two five – year – olds napping at both of her sides.

Noticing her husbands intense stare, the woman glued her dark eyes with him with a warm smile of her own. General Haruko smiled even brighter at the sight of his family whom he didn't have beside him for years now because of piles of duties and responsibilities weighing his shoulders within his service in the military.

"It's really nice of you to bring your family along, General." the young man in blue uniform who was ordered the role of his bodyguard said, his lighter blur eyes gazing at the old man with lightness. He had to admit, this General is one of the figures he respected the most out of fear and intimidation. But right now, the air of authorization he can always feel around him revolved into a bright aura of a family – oriented guy.

The old man giggled in a grandfatherly way. "The long trip will tire kids, I know. But I can't just this once – in – a – blue – moon opportunity to have my family with me every now and then. As busy as I am, I may regret someday that I hadn't seen my children grow." He said light – heartedly, feeling very lucky to have slipped this day off.

"Yes sir. Being in that rank, you can't even use your breaks with your own personal occasions." The young soldier stated formally, a small grin tugged in his lips.

"Yes, it is." General Haruko annswered airily, once again cherishing the scene of his family before him, as if something like this will only last until you blink your eyes.

As the peace just forming among the four people in the cabin, the silence was shattered into pieces when the cabin door was slid open noisily, waking the two napping toddlers from their slumber.

Out of nowhere, two gunmen where at the either side of the entrance, long shotguns in this arms ready to shoot at any undesirable movements.

"Who are you?! What do you nee-AHHH!!" The soldier's sentence was turned into a scream of agony by a bullet pierced right through his right shoulder which bled angrily through the burned hole.

The General sat frozen in his seat, a line of panic and fear running through his mind. Just as then, another man marched in between the two gunmen.

This man isn't like the other two. Not with the remarkable patch over his right eye, long black hair tied back in a low ponytail and his heavy clothing hiding any limb from anyone's eyes. The man's hard, dark eyes surveyed inside the small room, taking note of the wife and children before landing his eyes on the main target.

"Well hello there, General Haruko." He greeted with his manic grin showing his rigid teeth.

"Sorry to say but the family vacation you tried so hard to get is over." He announced darkly as he loomed evilly, four pairs of eyes looking back at him with terror.

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After a good ten minutes of tying four armed guys and setting them aside, Ed volunteered to help the soldier named Falman and began to untie the knots that bonds his limbs.

"Who...are you guys?" The silver – haired man asked the group, looking strangely to Al then to Catherine as he waited for Edward to reply.

"Just some fashioned alchemists. How about you?" Ed asked back after he successfully unloosened him from the ropes. Falman then get up to his feet and stretched, flexing his wrists before answering,

"Just…some soldier doing his job." He replied with much enthusiasm appropriate at this kind of situation.

Edward then nodded, considering that for a moment before going back to the mess at hand.

"So, what's with the train-jacking? Anyone boarded the train who's worth kidnapping for?" He began to have some good starting point.

"Actually, yes. General Haruko is at the first rear car with his family. Very reason why me and other state soldiers scattered here to act as bodyguards. But they still got away and boarded with us." Falman deliberated.

Ed, Al and Catherine exchanged glances, forming some kind of plan through their silent conversation somehow.

"How many rear cars does this train has?" Catherine asked Falman.

"Five."

"So we're in the last car. Since we only got here through the end tail of the train." Al concluded.

"And the General's at the front rear car. Now that's just great." Ed complained with sarcasm.

"Surely each car has three to four gunmen guarding them." The soldier added.

"Ok. I'm gonna take the top. You two will take here from below." Ed ordered, already opening one of the windowpanes that will lead him to the roof. Even though Al and Catherine thought it was insane for him to do such a thing, they gave him hesitant, stern nods of affirmation.

Even they tried to stop him will not make any difference anyway.

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Squinted topaz eyes glared from behind its spectacles to glower at the sight of a soldier being knocked out by quick smash of a civilian's shotgun to his skull, letting him disappear to the floor. Hughes slowly detached his ear from the phone then gently covered the speaker with his palm to prevent the person from the other line from hearing a thing. He then slowly placed the phone back to its cradle, ignoring the confused voice coming from it.

"Hughes? Hughes, what's happening? Hugh-" Roy's calls were cut as the soldier successfully disconnected the line of conversation.

Roy, on the other hand, was hearing the monotonic dial tone from the other line, a line of frown forming in his face. He then placed the useless phone down and looked at it with impatience as he wait for another call from his friend, along with Hawkeye eying the phone to ring any second now.

To their anticipation, the telephone rang to life again. Roy immediately picked it up at the first ring, expecting an excuse from Maes for his abrupt reporting of the train's condition.

But he was greeted by a voice he hadn't heard before.

"Hello…Mustang." A raspy, deep voice greeted him daringly.

"Who's talking?" Mustang asked.

"The name's Barud. I got the train and your general." He implied radically. He really thought the soldier would recognize his rough approach, but then that thought crushed his patience when Mustang's answer was,

"What do you want?" Barud gripped the trunk of the phone as he contained his steaming anger, his calloused fingers curling into a white fist around the brittle handle of the phone.

"Okay. We sent our messenger to send our manifesto to you this morning." He gave out another clue, guessing that would have been a total give away that Mustang wouldn't missed.

Roy took a dramatic breath from the other line, making him sit a little straighter from his soft seat, and drew out a,

"I don't know what you mean." He replied in the best innocent way he can deliver, but to the man, it sounded more of a sly answer.

Barud growled like a wild beast in his standing, grappling the poor phone even more to release his burning will to murder the man with his own hands right here and now. He took a few more minutes to make himself calm enough to talk again, and when he had, he suggested,

"Okay, let's make a deal. Bring our leader and we'll give you your general. We can bargain at Central where the train will arrive."

Mustang considered that for a moment, sensing the feline traced along the clean barter. He then leaned more in his seat, smirking in his mind as his plans were plotting together in their own. _Two can play in that game_. He thought victoriously.

"Okay. It's a deal. But I don't want any fatalities. If one man-" His sentence was cut off when the other line disconnected, only the mild dial tone answering him. He placed the phone back and returned in his comfortable position in his chair. His blond subordinate gazed at him with red eyes of mixed confusion and worriment.

"Sir, like the Fuhrer said. We should not make any negotiations with filthy-" Hawkeye refrained from finishing her statement when a calm voice escaped Roy's lips.

"Calm down, Hawkeye. Nobody made negotiations with anybody." He assured her, making the blond officer to be lost even more. The Colonel then rested his elbows on the shiny wood of his desk, curling his fingers in front of him as a small smirk touched his lips.

"I already made arrangements." He declared, his smile growing.

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Edward continued to walk his way through the strong wind pressure fighting him back. He then took his fifth step- based to what he has counted. It seems that it took every bit of his muscle to endure every particle pushing him back where he came from. He hadn't even walked half the roof yet.

The alchemist grunted as he took another foot in front of him, his right arm used a shield to protect his eyes from the blinding gush of wind. He took a moment and took a breath, building up as much energy he can restore in a second flat to have the energy to take another step again. But the train was too fast and he didn't even get the time to think when a tree was running its way towards him. Or is it him who was approaching it?…..

"AH!" Ed screamed in surprise when the rough, sturdy braches hit him squarely and send him back rolling on the roof, his body bouncing painfully along with the intensity of the moving train. He then felt his body fall from the platform, making him think unconsciously to say hello to another automail body part after the drastic fall…

He felt himself land smoothly rather than a bone-crashing fall. He then opened his tightly closed eyes slowly, taking in mind as he saw a new face smiling down at him. His rectangular glasses glinted briefly with the sunlight, giving him a friendly aura. Ed then noticed that he was holding up in a metal ladder for support, his other arm used to catch him from descending any further.

"Hey, you must be Edward Elric." He greeted lightly. The young boy blinked at him a few times, still hadn't caught up from what was happening. "How-"

"Mustang told me about you." He answered him shortly. Hughes then glanced at him more directly this time.

"Come on. We have to finish this game before the train arrives at Central." Again, Ed only blinked at him as an answer.

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Running footsteps pounded on the platform, clanking of pistols along with it. With an abrupt stop, the man met his comrade whose face was as white as sheet from fear.

"What is it?" The first man asked.

"We lost contacts from all the rear cars. They were screaming for help and say about a girl and an armor." The second one panicked. As if on cue, Barud came exiting from his cabin, noticing the ruckus going about his men.

"Hey boss! I thought that Mustang guy didn't send any troops with the general? So what's an armor-"

"SHUT UP AND CALM DOWN!" He barked angrily at the first guy, who zipped his mouth as fast as he could.

"There's no use. The military will get you for this. It's better if you'll just surrender. It will lighten the sentence somehow." Haruko's voice said from his behind.

He then whipped around violently with his ponytail flowing along his motion and glowered at the general with demonic eyes of hatred. He then raised his left arm and fired a bullet from it, burning a smoking hole on his sleeve and at the General's ear.

"AHH!" The General screamed with agony.

"Do you think you'll get away with this?" He threatened as the two children from his side wailed with tears.

"I'll kill every passenger in this train!"

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"Keep moving." A gunman said as he poked the end of his rifle to the side of a train conductor. The old man had no other choice but to shovel coals faster to the steaming engine the train needed in order to move. Another train man was doing the same thing with an intimidating pistol aimed at his head as he worked on the coals.

From outside the circular windowpane, Ed's head hung upside down and poked a tongue at the back of a gunman. He felt something and turned his head around to see that there was nothing in the window. When he retreated from looking behind, Ed's feet appeared from the outside and kicked the glass open with full force, as well as hitting the man from the back of his head at the same time. That's one out.

The last guy immediately aimed his weapon on Ed and was about to shoot him when two hard, red-hot shovels was slammed to crack his skull into a few parts before he went silent to the floor.

Ed looked at them then smiled thankfully. "Thanks." The two gave him thumbs up as one of their feet were placed triumphantly on top of the unconscious body below them.

He then went back to the roof top through one of the ladders. As he peeked to scan at the smooth platform, he saw a man with half of his body poking out through one of the roof passages. The man saw him at the same time he did and leveled gun on Ed's head for a shot.

"Well look at there. A sitting dog." He mused and fired a bullet which Ed dodged at the last second. He took note of not looking back up again and drew a transmutation circle on the side of the train instead. He touched it and blue light elicited from it. After a few seconds, a large cannon appeared pointing directly at the bald man who offended the alchemist with his weapon. He was too caught by his astonishment that he didn't perceive that Ed was moving his way to the newly transmuted gigantic fire launcher.

"What the hell is that?" Before he can answer that question, Ed pulled a cord and fired a flying, shiny cannon ball from its muzzle of doom. The projectile collided right to the man's face, sending him back down below with a crash.

"Amazing!" Hughes mounted to Ed at the brilliant attack he just pulled off. Ed smiled back goofily. "Thanks!"

"HEY! Don't mess with the tender! It's the life of this train!" The train conductor hollered as he squashed Hughes aside to make room for him through the window with a fist waggling at the alchemist.

"Sorry!" Ed apologized, a train of ideas going around his mind.

"Tender, huh. Hmmm…" He trailed off, letting the wind blow his blond locks for a while as he processed a plan in his mind.

Not long after, everything clicked into place in his head and a malicious smile kicked in his face.

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Catherine clasped her hands on the ground and hoisted herself into a hand stand, using the move to throw a powerful kick to the last man's face, knocking him out for a good few hours. She then landed her feet smoothly on the flat ground.

"Well…I guess that's the last of them." She announced as she checked back on Al who was busy tying some man with some ropes he managed to make with alchemy.

"Yeah. We better find brother." Al replied with a trace of worry. He then stood from the already 'taken care of' men and waited for his companion who gave him a quick nod before heading their way to the exit door of the rear car.

"What should we do boss? They're washing us down! We can't do anything!" One of the five men who managed to escape from encountering Al and Cath fretted, not helping Barud's temper to lower a bit.

"Shut up you goons!" He hurled at them and as if on cue, a distracting light started from his behind. When he looked back, he saw a weird designed speaker that he swear he had not seen a second ago.

"What the hell is that?" Barud demanded as if expecting one of his left out toadies to answer him correctly. _What the hell is going on here?! _

"Attention to all criminals! We have recaptured all the rear cars and the engine car, leaving this one to be the last one to claim. I suggest you to bow down and surrender. Failure to do so may lead us to force you out by more vehement means." Ed's voice raised to the speaker which was personalized with the blond antenna sticking on top of it.

"Is that Ed?" Catherine questioned with a cock of her brow upon hearing the alchemist's arrogant voice echoing through out the last rear car.

"No doubt. And I think he's planning something evil." Al managed to conclude.

"Go to hell!" Barud howled back with fury he has.

"You can't make us surrender! We have rings around the necks of these hostages!" He retorted with an angry growl.

"Oh well. Still have that urge to fight, eh? I was really hoping you would go by gentle means." After that line, a transmuted pipe followed below the speaker. Barud and his men almost had their eyes pop out of their heads when they saw it.

"Is that.."

"A water pipe?"

"All hostages. Please hold onto your seats and get ready for some turbulence." The alchemist declared cheerily. Before Barud and his friends can get away for shelter, the vault was turned on and the water rushed through the pipe and filled the train like a pool, washing away anyone who didn't hide in their cabins.

The remaining lackeys of Barud was 'washed away' to the exit of the rear car and the door automatically slid open and the water was drained, leaving them like wet chickens laying pathetically on the floor. Two shadows towered over them and they turned their wide eyes to see a girl whose arms are crossed over her chest with eyes glittering evilly with an armor pounding a fist on his gloved hand.

"Welcome." Catherine greeted in dark delight, sadistic pleasure flashing in her eyes.

Sounds of punches followed by yelps and screams of pains filled the empty compartment of the deserted rear car.

The bearded man coughed out some water that blocked his air passage, leaning on his elbows weakly for a moment before he regained the strength to stand on his feet.

The door to his side slid, revealing Hughes with a sling shot caught between his fingers. "Look at the bright side Barud. You probably needed a shower." The soldier humored him, which only made the man's current dignity level to reduce by ten percent.

Fury and rage took over his mind and he raised his left hand to shoot a bullet right through Hughes' shoulder which bled with crimson liquid. He luckily slid the door back close that managed to block the next projectiles that would probably hit his head to death, marking the metal door with deep dents.

Maes then panted with pain behind the door, gripping on his upper right shoulder to make the scrutinizing pain subside somehow. Barud cackled at his agony and proceeded to the door slowly.

"What's the matter? Don't like my company?" Barud chirped arrogantly over the closed door. The man behind it gritted his teeth in both pain and annoyance. He half – expected something like this to happen.

"I'll kill your general and all the passengers in this train. But to do that, I'll eliminate you first!" He exclaimed.

"Not if I can stop it!" A voice shot back at him from above. He jerked his head upwards in surprise, only to have Ed's boots to almost touch his face but then he dodged quickly to the side to avoid the boy. But he didn't get away that far when Ed caught a hold on his left arm with his automail hand, starting the two of them to push through each other through the strength of their arms, engaging them in a literally 'hand-to-hand' battle.

Ed then quirked a look at his left arm, noticing a metal gun instead of a flesh arm. "Oh? Another automail user?" He mused through his struggle of their current battle.

"I didn't know the military also recruits kids like you."

"I'm not a kid." Ed retorted with a scowl.

"Hahaha. They'll just throw you away like what they did to me. I equipped myself with automail to be better. But no. They didn't see it that way. They kicked me out like shit, believing I may be a threat to them." Barud continued, making Ed's violent grip on his machine arm to tighten even more.

"You're just a brat." The eye-patched man spat at him for good measure, making Ed's face crouch with detestation and his force on the man's left hand grew ten folds tighter.

"Your gonna pay for that brat comment. And don't compare your reasons with mine for having this arm!!" Ed bellowed at him and crushed the man's cheap arm with one last bit of strength, sending the machine into tiny little pieces to scatter across the floor.

Barud was stuck from where's he standing, completely shocked from what Ed just did. He can't understand. He's just a foolish little…

He felt a hand grab his shoulder and swiveled him forcefully to turn around and then saw a giant armor with his hand backed away in a hard fist. Before he knew it, he felt a ringing click of hurt that stole his consciousness for the next few minutes.

Catherine then walked in with Maes Hughes clinging on her shoulder for support, his right sleeve still stained from the gushing blood flowing from it. She smiled over the brothers for recognition.

Ed then turned to Al, giving him a playful wink and a thumb's up. The younger Elric then laughed lightly, copying his brother's action right back at him.

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Lt. Colonel Roy Mustang swept his heels to the cement walkway of Central Station with an air of authority lingering over him, with Second Lt. Riza Hawkeye in tow.

The trio noticed his presence shortly from one corner where they help Hughes to sit and wait for some medics, stern expressions plastered in their faces.

The soldier then stopped in front of Barud, whose arms were already tied up behind his back. He stared a sharp 'eye' to the Lt. Colonel, a scrawny frown decorating his craggy features.

"You've been obedient, Barud. You didn't take a single soul. Just what I ordered you to." Roy mused at him with a cocky smirk, earning a vigorous growl from the delinquent. From behind his tied arms, a thin knife slid from one of the pockets of the remains of his destroyed arm, slicing himself free from bound. He didn't waste any opportunity and jumped to Mustang with the knife raised on the air, ready to stab the state alchemist to death.

But before he can reach the Lt. Colonel, Roy snapped his fingers and a ball of fire burst out of his hand, torching the man in a blazing flame.

"WUAHHHH!!" Barud screamed at his burnt skin, leaving him smoking in anguish at the pain his barbequed body brought to him. Ed, Al, and Catherine almost had their jaws dropped to the ground at what they had just witnessed.

"I tried to control myself, be thankful I didn't lit you to death. By the way, the name's Lt. Colonel Roy Mustang. You can call me Roy. Or the Flame Alchemist. Whatever the pain reminds." He stated before walking away towards Edward who still has that awestruck expression crossed in his face.

"Amazing." The young alchemist muttered under his breath.

"Yeah. He must be Mustang." Al's statement snapped Ed back to himself; a gravitated look weighed his face as Roy came to approach them. He then stopped at his front, laying a gloved hand over the boy's shoulder.

"Congratulations. For this great heroic act, you'll have the General's recommendation to take the alchemy exam next year." Roy articulated with a sly smile in his lips. Ed's mouth hung open as he processed his words.

Then it clicked.

Ed pointed a shaky finger at him, his eyes wide as he said, "You said we can take the alchemy exam anytime!" Roy replied him with a quirk in his lips and his eyes twinkled in amusement.

"You actually think that the state will allow children like you to take a highly-qualified examination?" Roy asked in fake disbelief. Ed's brows curled through his whirling confusion.

"Aren't you grateful you took that train instead?" His head then began to throb a little so tried to soothe his temple to guide back his lost mind. Roy smiled at him one last time then went back in his tracks as he finished, "It's still up to you though, if you'll take the exam or not."

"Those people, really had us dancing in their palms, huh?" Al concluded with Catherine squinting her eyes in mild agreement with him.

The alchemist's expression shifted away from his confusion at what he heard to a determined one he always wears and twirled around hastily.

"Of course I'll take it! And pass!" He announced over the Lt. Colonel's retreating back, who held another smirk before he totally disappeared from the station.

A thick line of silence hung over the three of them for a long while, still couldn't make their vocal chords to work after what had happened. It was really a long day.

Until a loud, demanding grumbling interrupted them. Both brothers turned to face Catherine who has her previously blank face turn into a desperate frown.

"Guess I'm hungry again. We still didn't have our lunch." She proposed as she lay a hand on her poor stomach for sympathy. Al laughed softly at her side while Ed smiled halfway.

Even they're not that close, he can already feel his brother's body breathing beside him.

* * *

A/N: That's all for now. Please review this thing. Tell me if it sucks. I really wanted to know what people thinks of this story. Again, I would like to thank Princess dela Luna for review she gave me. She really perked me up to write this chapter and I'm really grateful to her for that. sorry for the typos, which I'm sure are many...

Again…reviews please.


	14. Gate within part I

Note: SORRY FOR THE SUPER LATE UPDATE! School work sucks so I had only the Halloween vacation to do this story…which is only for a couple of days plus with the damn school projects itching at my sides. Honestly why do teachers tend to give school works when students are on vacation? That's just totally sadistic and unfair…-pout-

Anyways… this story is not beta – read…for now…I'm getting second thoughts of posting this already or not…Ms. Cullen is quite busy nowadays so she can't beta- read this…Don't worry Maddy we understand…:D

Again I am sorry for not updating, I hope you'll still read and review…:)

Oh well here's the next chapter. I tried my hardest to spot the wrong grammars and spellings but I still bet it has a lot…(damn myself for having weak grammar…)

Another note: The italics are either the character's thoughts or Catherine's visions…so don't be confused, okay?

Disclaimer: I don't own a thing about FMA…though I wish I own Ed…oh well..

Chapter 14: Gate within part I

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A year ago…

"Are you in there, honey?" A crossed voice of a woman called out from outside of an abandoned building, particularly an old basement formerly used by a company that once existed.

The front entrance of the said structure creaked open, its old and rusted hinges squeaked noisily through out the hollow area. A woman around the age of thirty peeked her head through the small crack of the door, her crimson eyes surveyed for any disturbances and harm.

When she found nothing near to danger, she continued to maneuver inside the room; taking one precautious step at a time. The clicking sounds of her heels echoed tingly, reaching every dark corner of the edifice as she began to observe her surroundings.

For a basement that wasn't used for what looked like for decades, it seemed to be organized and neat in some level. The boxes were noticeably put aside to every corner to make the center as spacious as possible. The tables were done at the same way and the floor looks like it had just been swept tidily.

Why would her daughter be in a place like this anyway?

Soft pit patters of the rain were then heard from the outside, the already darkened sky dimming even more from the small glass windows of the basement.

"Nicky? You in here? It's time to go home it's past nine already." She resumed into calling her daughter. She walked more into the room, a strange feeling slowly crawling into her at every step she took.

"Come on Nicky we have to go home now. Dad will be worried and we don't have any umbrella so we can't afford to run through a storm." The mother made her voice pleading, hoping that she can get her stubborn daughter's obedience somehow.

But not even a sound of scowl she was so used to hear from her child when scolded reached her ears. The darkness didn't contribute any help either. Not to mention the worsening weather they are about to go through.

"I bet she purposely destroyed the lighting system here. That child I swear…" She muttered to herself, thunder roaring beside her to make her company.

The woman stopped in her tracks before whipping a few chestnut strands that managed to fall on her shoulders, an impatient expression starting to form in her features, followed by a frown that can rarely be seen from her.

"Nicole Smith Graden, come here right this instant or I'll tear this place apart! Enough games already!" The mother screamed angrily to no one, very certain that a reply or a moving shadow will come next.

The rain continued to pour outside.

She stood there for a few moments; puffing her rage to save herself from burning with resentment as she wait for any action from her child. She really has to put some punishment over the girl.

A month grounded from any outdoor activities aside from school sounds fair enough.

"You are in so much trouble young lady." She growled dangerously as she began to march forward again, attempting to still find her daughter to make her punishment into work. She then felt she stepped on something, stopping her from her vehement strides.

"Huh?"

The woman bent down to have a better inspection of what is it; her brown locks sliding from behind her ears. She then picked it up and returned to her feet; distinguishing that the object was a book.

She did a quick scrutiny of the hard cover of the article, not really knowing what kind of book it is because of the lack of light to make her eyes to do its work. Then she flipped the first page and smoothed the rough paper with her nimble fingers; squinting her ruby eyes to decipher the writings through the darkness. As if it wanted to help, a lightning stroke through the sky, giving her the chance to have the quickest glance she can get from the book.

What she saw made her eyes dilate in horror realization. She stood there frozen like ice, the book sliding from her weakening hands until it fell soundly on the hard floor.

It can't be…that book….why does her daughter have that kind of book. Could she possibly…

"No…Nicky." She breathed out in terror; her whole body began to shake with fear. Lightning crashed again, flashing the humongous transmutation array drawn all over the floor where she stood, together with the book in her feet opened to it's first page that has a head title saying 'Human transmutation.'

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A black car screeched through the busy road of Central City, its old tires rolling through the bulky cobblestones as far as it can. Inside the said vehicle sat five people, including the driver who isolated himself with a window separating the front and the back seats. The back seats were occupied by a man with onyx hair around his twenties with an eleven-year-old girl beside him, her eyes boring somewhere as the man shoot them information she did not think she has any reason to care. They sat opposite from a blond boy who has his eyes darted at the man talking in front of him and beside him is an armor who didn't move a finger ever since the start of the trip, afraid he'll smash the door beside him.

Roy Mustang lifted a folder filled with a thick ream of documents, flipping the last page as he read the last bits of its information.

"…created an officially breathing chimera that can talk and understand the human language." He finished and placed the folder back to his lap to see the slackened jaws of the children with him.

"It can…talk?" Ed inquired one last time, amazement still laced in his voice. Catherine and Al shared his feeling as they continued to stare at Mustang for him to say something else that might make the statement a little more believable.

"Yes. He did one in his last assessment a year ago." The soldier added, making Ed's eyes widen more in fascination.

"How…did he do that?"

Mustang just sighed as an answer and said,

"Maybe combine some genes of different species of animals to somewhat forge the human DNA…no clue really. You need to talk to him about that." With that their conversation was cut into silence for several minutes until the vehicle halted in their destination.

The three then followed the Lt. Colonel to a house that they were informed to be staying until Ed and Al can take the state exam. What they didn't get informed about was what kind of house was it…

Until they were staring face to face with a gigantic mansion standing at a two-hectare lot…

"This is so…" Ed trailed off with his eyes ready to pop out of his head.

"Yeah it's pretty big." Al stated more straightly beside him with Catherine who just glanced around, not minding the size of the house as much as Ed and Al were.

"Hey kids!" They heard Roy called and they turned to see him already standing by the door. "The door's over here!"

The three nodded and they proceeded towards the entrance, suitcases in hand. They were on their way when a rather big shadow hovered over Ed. The blond turned a shaky head to see a hairy black and white dog lunging at him.

"AHHHHHH!"

The animal wagged his tail contently as he sat at the flattened kid under him, his tongue hanging in eager excitement at his newfound playmate.

"Brother…" Al sighed as he reached his gloved hand a little, showing a little sympathy for his small brother, but not really feeling the need to help him. Catherine just looked at the dog instead, a deep frown curled in her lips as she glared at the smoldering eyes of the dog before her.

If this fur ball tried to tackle her like Den did she sw-

"Alexander!" A tiny voice of a girl scolded and all faces turned to the door to see a brunette girl about the age of four peeking through the cracked door, her brows knitted angrily over her pet.

"That's bad Alexander!" She demanded but the dog didn't move a muscle. A man with glasses then appeared from behind the small girl, bowing his head repeatedly in excuse for the rude welcoming.

"Oh dear. I'm so sorry." He apologized meekly a few more times before he finally let them inside.

Books and scribbled papers were everywhere, decorating the spacious house. Even how big it is, you can't determine the dining from the living room area because of all the folders and books scattered along the floor and in the chairs and tables as well.

"Sorry about the house. My wife's been gone and it seems everything here really lacks a woman's touch as you can see." He excused with a faint smile.

"It's alright Mr. Tucker." Roy shrugged it off.

"So you're Mr. Tucker, the Sewing Life Alchemist." Ed concluded at the man,

"Yes." Roy answered for him.

"And Mr. Tucker, I would like you to meet Edward and Alphonse Elric and their friend Catherine…"

"Ederson." Supplied the ruby – eyed girl.

"Right. So the brothers are planning to take the alchemy exam this year and I would like to ask you to let them study here until the examinations come." Roy articulated formally.

Tucker nodded without hesitation. "Such young faces." He commented over Ed and Catherine, since Al cannot be seen as young anymore with his armor.

"Why does big brother wear an armor? Isn't it heavy?" The brunette girl asked as she tugged Al's metal arm, wriggling it with her little hands. Al chuckled softly at the adorable gesture.

"It's no problem. Big brother is strong!" The armor assured with his usual friendly voice. He then shivered when he caught the house owner's questioning stare.

"Oh, this is my daughter Nina." Tucker introduced, shortly tearing his uncanny eyes from Alphonse.

"Hi!" Nina greeted sweetly at Al, her head tilting slightly to the side cutely.

"Hi Nina. My name's Alphonse." The armor greeted back happily.

"Uh, Nina, can you play with Alexander at the garden for now?" Tucker asked his daughter gently. Nina frowned in disagreement; her hands still gripping at Al's metal ones.

"Come on. Go now." Tucker pursued.

"Don't worry. I'll play with you later." Al conceded which made the little girl obey her father heartily then ran towards the door leading to the back garden.

"Alexander! Let's go outside and play!" They heard her exclaimed followed by a howl of agreement from the dog before they disappeared outside, leaving the room with heavy silence.

"They are also asking if you could show them your experiments as to how you create a talking chimera." Roy broke out which made Tucker's eyes gloomed darkly, but none of them noticed.

"Sure. I'll show them. If it's not a problem, we'll they also share me a little about them. Equivalent exchange that is." He said and looked at the three for some answers.

Ed averted his gaze, letting his golden bangs to cascade his eyes from showing any hint of his overflowing reminisce.

Al merely bowed his head in shame, a sound of cry escaped through his armor.

Catherine just squinted her eyes on the question asked; trying so hard to not go back to every detail of those events that she badly wants to conceal herself from.

"You have to talk them out about that. Oh well, I better go now. See you, kids." He bid goodbye to the three and turned to approach the door when he suddenly halted from his tracks.

"By the way, Brigadier General Basque Grande wants you to remind you about the upcoming assessment you'll be having by the end of the year." Roy informed before he completely exited the house.

"Yes. I will keep that in mind." The alchemist answered, his eyes shadowed by the bright light reflected by his spectacles.

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The wooden door creaked open and a ray of light entered through the thin crack, pouring the dark room with some light to make the dusty bookshelves perceptible to the eyes.

Tucker then opened the door to its widest, letting Ed, Al and Catherine to see the lines of mahogany bookshelves occupying almost the whole room, leaving only a small amount of space in between them to make a walkway for the people whole like to read the hundreds of articles each layer is holding.

The height of the said furniture soar all the way to the ceiling, just like the information and knowledge in stored within their books' leaves. A ladder was even present beside each shelf, which is mainly used by anyone who would want to read the books out of reach.

"This is awesome." Ed breathed out with his honey eyes sparkling with excitement, awestruck at what he was seeing.

"The library back in Dublith is nothing compare to this one." Al interlined with his brother.

Tucker gave out a chuckle.

"This is used to be my laboratory but I usually had it as my study room so I've decided to keep all of my books in here. But this is nothing compared to the Central Library. As they say, 'Even you repeat you're life a hundred times, you'll never read all the thousands of books it has.'" Tucker articulated with a small smile plastered in his face.

Al smiled in the inside, waves of excitement splashing inside his metal body. "Isn't it great brother?" He cheered like a little boy he is.

No answer.

"Brother?" Al called, turning to his side to see only Catherine looking around the room with her usual cold, bored eyes.

The armor searched more until he spotted the small blond alchemist in a corner, a blue book in his gloved hand with his studious eyes reading the text of the first page. From the looks of it, the young boy already had himself occupied with a book for the next hours of the day.

Al laughed softly through his armor.

"Looks like he already started." The young Elric concluded gleefully.

"Well I have work to do so I'll leave you kids here for the time being. I'll let Nina call you for lunch." The Sewing Life Alchemist inquired as he prepared himself to leave the room; his hand already attached on the silver doorknob.

"Yes. Thank you again for letting us stay here, Mr. Tucker." Al mentioned with a polite bow.

"Oh it's nothing. Well I'll see you at lunch later. You kids have a lot of studying to do." He finished before leaving the room. Alphonse waved politely then proceeded to the shelves to join his brother and friend.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x—xx-x-x-x-x—x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x—x—x-x—x-x---x-x-x-x—x-x-x-x—x-x----x-xx

An hour passed by quickly for the three as they continue to dig their heads at as many books as they can.

Edward had himself absorbed by another book for the fifth time has a couple of finished books at his right side and ten more at his left side, which fall down to the category of 'still unread' books.

Al is the same as his older brother, only that he has fewer books finished than of Edward.

Catherine, on the other hand, does not look like she was reading at all. She did look from one book to another by just reading a couple of sentences from them. But after that she'll just drop it at her side uninterestedly and go to the next book again, doing the same routine for over an hour now.

Al's helmet perked up after the what- twentieth- noise his friend had produced from dropping a book to the floor again like a useless trash, pulling another one to scan it in a minute or two.

"Catherine? What are you doing? Are you reading?" He asked, refraining from his book.

The girl dropped another book soundly with a sigh before turning to her armored friend, a thin line of frown drawn at her face.

"Not really. It's just that there's nothing good here to read." She answered before sitting down at the floor with her legs crossed; placing her elbow above her thigh before resting a cheek to her palm.

"You've been there for an hour now yet you still didn't find a good book to read?" Al pursued questioningly, not expecting that she was that choosy when it comes to books.

The armor then reached his arm out to fetch one of the books she was throwing all over the place. His hollow eyes then scanned the cover and read,

"Analytical Alchemy."

He picked another one.

"Learning Alchemical Formulas and Theories: Advanced"

And another.

"Structural components of the Periodic Elements."

And…

"Element's alchemic arrays."

Al put down the last book to his side then looked questioningly at Catherine who hadn't bother to react at what he was doing; remaining in her position to look at the floor with more interest.

"These books aren't bad at all. In fact I think they had complex ideas that amateur alchemists like ourselves aren't capable of comprehending." Al stated as – a – matter – of – factly.

"I don't wanna read them." She muttered while playing with the red strands that managed to reach between her closed legs.

"Why is that?"

"'Cause I know them already." She answered straightly. She may sound to him as arrogant but it's the truth.

This time Edward tore his attention from his book to what he had just heard, listening to the conversation intently.

"Wha-what do you mean?" Al asked, confused.

Catherine let out a tired sigh. She really doesn't want to answer that. Opening this topic again is the last thing she wants to do right now. But she can't find an enough reason to not to.

"I saw and learnt it from…" She hesitated, looking up at him to meet his holes with her crimson ones.

"From what?" Another voice interrupted and Catherine turned to see Edward lending his ears to her as well.

She knotted her brows, not really willing to continue what she's about to say.

Will she really tell them that she learnt alchemy lessons from a gate with hideous black creatures? And didn't they saw the horrible thing too? As a matter of fact, they paid a heavier price than she did – losing two limbs and a body and all – and yet she's the one who gained access to more knowledge who sacrificed only her memories? And her visions. Why does she have them in the first place?

Nothing sounds logical to the young alchemist.

Her frown deepened, as well as Ed's impatience.

"Well?" He pursued at her who gave him a brief stern look before standing at her feet; her fist curled into tight balls.

"It's nothing. Just forget about it." She dismissed the subject and walked away towards the end of the shelf where a ladder was standing.

Al's gaze followed her with worriment, feeling another chill that the girl is keeping another secret from them.

From him.

He thought from the first time he talked to her that she already trusted him after she narrated her story to him. But guess he was a little wrong about that.

Edward, on the other hand, observed the girl suspiciously, calculating at his mind some answers to his questions.

Al once told him that the girl came from another world, through the gate.

The gate.

_Wait…can't it be…_

He continued to watch Catherine who climbed up the first five steps of the ladder, stopping on the sixth one to pull another book that caught her eye.

…_she saw something inside the gate too? _

She held the book with her free hand while her other grasp on the ladder's leg for support, scanning the book title that says,

"Alchemy and its Mystical Elements."

Edward then raised an eyebrow as he pondered on that, another question popping in his head.

"Hey Catherine. Aren't you…going to take the exam with us?" Ed interrogated towards the girl who just squinted her eyes at the question.

"Yeah. You're an alchemist too, right?" The armor pressed on, turning to her for an answer as well.

Catherine considered that for a moment; blazing her hard eyes on the book cover to somehow find her response from the piece of literature.

Does she have to join this so – called military in order to help these numbskulls?

"No." She shot back at them firmly.

"Wh-why not?" Al almost sounded that he squeaked his question.

"Yeah, why not? You can do alchemy without circles, right?" The older Elric alleged.

With this statement, Catherine snapped her head to him, her eyes slitted as they look at the alchemist austerely.

"You did it back at Majahal's place. I'm just bringing back a question I've already asked before: How did you do alchemy without any array? Only our teacher can do that as far as I know." Ed articulated directly at her; his honey eyes daring to break the confinements of her secrets concealed within her cold eyes.

Al was taken aback from what he had heard. He knew that she can perform alchemy like them…but without circles?

Catherine ripped her gaze from his and glared at the lined books placed neatly in row in front of her. "Find that out yourself."

Edward managed an irritated frown from what she said. That's what she most likely told him the last time he asked the particular question.

"Lessons are best learned through one's self." She quoted at him before going back to her book.

_Well this better do. _She said mentally and flipped the first three pages, skipping the introduction part. On the brown page was drawn an array with symbols and schematic shapes that she has not seen from any book she had read or even from the gate itself.

Edward glared at her heatedly. He really doesn't trust this girl from the very first second he met her. There's this feeling that the girl carries these strange vibes he couldn't really decipher. It's not like Catherine was a threat to their lives or anything. From the looks of it, even she has a cold exterior, kindness was still beneath it and his brother Al feels the same thing too, taking in notice the attachment he had developed with the girl.

It's just that there's like something inside of her, like a sleeping monster, that when awaken one day, will cause riot never yet known to man. The only reason he let her come with them is that she was _coincidently_ right about their human alchemy, which only because he suspects she had also done the same thing too, considering that she saw the gate.

That matter also counts in his reasons. The girl has knowledge that can somehow help them to restore their bodies back. Her ability of alchemy without circles includes as well.

But why won't she just tell they how? She wants to help them, right?

Edward snarled at her and huffed to another side, looking like a child out of candy.

"Fine then, I'll find it out my own way. But one more thing, why won't you join the military as well? With your abilities you'll easily pass." The blond boy questioned.

Catherine rolled her head lazily at him, looking at him and Al with her usual icy eyes.

"I don't think joining that military shimmy will help me in any way and besides…I don't want to be under some other person's orders. I work on my own." She explained simply at them before returning to read her book.

"Catherine…" Al sighed. Why does she have to be bitter all the time?

The blond alchemist decided to quit talking to a cold steak like her and dig his attention to his book once more, somehow offended by the girl's words even if he's still not part of that _military shimmy._

She went back to the opened page of her book once again and continued to exam the foreign array. As she looked longer at it, it somehow became familiar to her, but odd at the same time. All of a sudden, it glew purple light for a split second; making her eyes expand in surprise.

Then before she knows it, her head began to throb with tremendous pain that she even let the book slip from her hand just to clutch her breaking head.

"Catherine?" Al asked from the sound of a dropped book again, thinking that she began to throw her uninteresting books again, but then panicked when he saw her grappling her temple with serious pain.

"Catherine!" He then ran to her aide at the bottom of the ladder, looking up at her fretfully.

"What's wrong with her, Al?" Ed asked as he began to stand on his feet to see the commotion.

The girl tried to climb down, but her dizziness her headache causes removed her balance; making her fall down towards the hard floor.

"Catherine!" Al then caught her before she touched the ground, her expression contorted with agony.

"Hey what's wrong? Are you okay?" The armor's gentle voice questioned softly down at her; just hearing it made her a tad bit better in some way she couldn't even understand.

"I'm fine. Just put me down." She growled her words out in agony.

"But-" Al didn't have the chance to finish his self when the girl pulled herself up and jumped from his arms; quickly taking a hold of the edge of a shelf's layer to remain standing.

Catherine bent down a little and picked the newest book she found before marching limply towards the door.

Al watched her worriedly; the fact that he saw her dig her nails unto her throbbing head caused an urge to just carry welled inside of him.

"Hey are you s-" A rather hard click of the door interrupted him this time; letting him end his sentence with an exasperated sigh. Some part of him really thinks that the girl can be more stubborn than his obstinate brother can.

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She clasped a hand to the hard wall beside her; dropping the book again to let her other hand claw her scalp to rip the disturbing pain in her head. She scowled in pain as she forcedly walked away from the room to prevent the brothers from overhearing her.

Still not reaching another room her legs already flailed to the ground. Catherine dug her nails to her hurting temple, having another one to do the same but the pain didn't leave for any of that.

"Agghhh.." She growled, taking a handful of red strands in both of her hands, still working to make the throbbing go away. It feels like something is kicking and punching inside her head, trying to split her skull apart.

She tilted her head up and suppressed a scream of pain, then bowed it and grasped on her scalp as if to get the invader causing her agony out of her head. She blinked her eyes a few times, putting her edging consciousness in check.

She tried to stand up, slowly, before using the wall for support again. Why is this happening? Is it her visions again?

"No.." She denied, her eyes flickered with anger and pain.

"They've already stop. They must ha-" As if to answer her, a rush of visions passed through her mind's eye….

_A hairy creature with brown and white fur stood before her eyes. It turned to face her, its tail magnificently falling behind him. Until its red glowing eyes took hers…_

_Eyes full of pain and suffering…_

"_Help me…" It burled out in a growl of an animal. _

_She wanted to approach it._

_She wanted to help._

_She reached her hand out, assuring to the creature of her aide. _

_But before she can make her first step, the surrounding dissolved to a void of nothingness._

_Everything was white._

"Ahh..stop it." Catherine tried to fight the vision out, but it continued nonetheless.

"_Human….you are all foolish and weak." A voice echoed through out the vivid whiteness surrounding her._

"Stop…get out." Catherine hurled as she constantly held her temple tightly, banging herself to the concrete wall beside her.

_A horrid laugh filled the place, its sounds washing the girl's ears with terror._

"AHHH!" She screamed and pressed her forehead on the cold wall, her hands still attached to her head to claw her scalp painfully.

_She then found herself face to face with an enormous array drawn in intangible air. The array she saw in that book…_

_A gate not big as the array appeared at the other side; making the bizarre transmutation circle the divider between her and the gate._

_The gate then began to creak loudly. Catherine watched the opening passage intently, wondering what's inside it and dilate her ruby eyes when she saw the monstrous huge eye she encountered back then emerging from the gate, blackish hands and creatures poking at its sides._

"_We meet again, human. Or should I say, my Lefix." Its sentence then followed a horrifying laugh, drowning the girl with more fear._

"_Lefix? What the hell do you mean by Lefix? And what the hell are you doing inside of me? GET OUT!" She hollered at the Eye wildly as pointed an imaginary door behind her furiously._

_The creature just cackled at her._

"_How energetic." It praised and the dark arms and creatures at its side began to move forward, ready to wrap her with their wrath. _

_Catherine shielded herself with her arms as the hands of darkness were nearing her._

_The humongous array separating her from the gate glowed white, reflecting the Eye's attack back to it._

"_What?" She asked, lost._

_The Eye was surprised as well._

"_So you've activated my seal. I thought you'll never find out." It stated._

"_Huh?" She was still confused. That weird array from the book is…this beast's seal?_

"_What are you blabbering about?" She demanded with fury._

"_It's just for a matter of time before I break it…and then…" His sentence then turned into a malicious laugh so deep it echoed throughout the endless space…_

Catherine opened her eyes as widely as she can; breathing as hardly as she can. She found herself still in her feet, a hand clasped on the cold wall to maintain her remaining balance.

That vision….what does it mean now?

"Big sister, are you alright?" A girl's tiny voice squeaked beside her. Catherine snapped her head in surprise to see little Nina looking at her through her big emerald eyes with a troubled expression in features.

* * *

A/N: Sorry I had to cut it…I'll try to type the continuation as soon as I can…

And is "Graun" the correct name of the Iron Blood Alchemist? Please correct me if you know the right one…:)

Hope you'll read and review…XD


	15. Gate within part II

A/N: SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE AGAIN! Projects are seriously flooding at my sides, considering that I'm gonna graduate high school this year..(college is just 2 months away! D:) So again I am terribly sorry for not updating and thanks for those who reviewed and added this story to their favorites list. :)

Princess dela Luna: Sorry if my 'in a little while' took so long…sorry… –looks down shamefully-

So here's the next chapter…I apologize for the typos in advance.o.O

Chapter 15 – The gate within part II

* * *

_"Big sister, are you alright?" A girl's tiny voice squeaked beside her. Catherine snapped her head in surprise to see little Nina looking at her through her big emerald eyes with a troubled expression in her features._

Gasping for a few moments, the young girl tried to straighten up with shaking legs but her balance failed her when her limbs decided to kneel feebly on the cold floor instead. Her palms connected to the tiled floor, supporting her upper body from collapsing as well. She blinked her eyes to somehow make the blurry vision go away.

The disturbing throb came to her temples once again, but this time, it's more bearable. For a second, she forgot where she was, for the pain in her head didn't want her brain to work on anything but the burning pang that attempts to split her head into two.

She lifted her head a little from the ground and gazed around with dazed eyes. Where was she again?

Setting the headache aside as much as she can, everything came back to the Ederson girl once again.

She's in another world called Shambala…

In a house…no….mansion that belongs to a person named Tucker…

To help the brothers pass the state examination….

To help them restore their bodies…

To get rid of this shitty visions once and for all.

That's right.

That last reason was the root of all reasons as to why she was even here.

"Big sister?" The voice was tiny and distant, like an echoing sound in the end of the tunnel.

"Hey, big sister! Are you okay?" Nina's squeaky voice registered to Catherine now; her glassy, half – lidded eyes coming up her face. The four – year – old's hand moved a few strands that covered the alchemist's face and touched her cheek in a comforting gesture.

She jerked her head up at the sudden warmth that made contact with her pale, cold – sweated face, finally noticing the presence of the child. A contented sigh escaped her lips as the little girl continued to damp her little hand on her cheek, which helped to ease the headache even just a little.

Catherine soon moved away from her hand and forced herself to stand in her feet. She stumbled a little at the remaining sting that made her focus weak, her balance just enough to keep her feet on the ground.

"Hey! Careful!" Nina scolded and wrapped small arms around her waist ('cause that's the only part she can reach), bringing all her might to support the taller girl from collapsing to the floor again.

"Don't walk. You'll fall again." She said with concern lacing her expression as she looked up at Catherine.

"No. I'm fine. I'm gonna be fine." She reassured feebly and pulled away from little brunette, her still heavy eyes scanning for the 'Alchemy and It's Mystical Elements' book. She spotted a brown book lying behind Nina, the said title printed across the leather cover. She walked pass her and picked up the reading material, just doing the simple task made her head spin yet again and her legs wobble.

"I should call daddy. Tell him that you're sick." Nina suggested.

"I'm not sick." The eleven – year – old retorted and moved pass the child again to make her way to the end of the hallway.

"But it looks like you have a really bad headache. Do you want me to get some medicine? I can ask da-"

"I said I'm fine." She cut her off, still continuing her difficult attempt to reach the back garden door with dizziness blocking her way.

"Hey, what's going on out here?" The hollow voice of Al came to two's ears. Catherine glanced over her shoulder to see the armor peeking half of him from the crack of the door; his hand holding the knob to keep it in place.

"I heard noises." He explained, his glowing eyes darted particularly at redhead girl.

"Big si-"

"It's nothing Al. Just go back to studying." With that, she ended the conversation and reached the door. Damp air hit her face once she opened it and closed it behind her with a soft click, leaving the other two to stare at the closed door with confusion and anxiety.

A pout made its way to Nina's lips, her eyebrows curling in annoyance as well. "How rude. I was trying to help her."

Al sighed and then chuckled softly, trying hard not to worry too much about her for the time being. "She's just like that. But she's not really that bad when you get to know her a little more." He stated, thinking in the back of his mind that it sounded wrong. He didn't know her enough to say something like that. Even a year with her still didn't give him the time to unfold the girl's full personality. All he knows is that she kept a lot of things from them.

Like about what just happened to her a few moments ago.

Letting the door to swing open more widely, the armor made his way towards the little girl and knelt down to level with her, one of his gloved hands patting the top of her head. "I like smaller big brother better than her." Nina peeved with the pout still plastered in her face. Al laughed softly at her.

"Just go play with Alexander for now, okay? Me and brother will catch up later." His gentle voice said.

The kid nodded obediently and skipped her way cheerily to fetch her pet from the front yard. Al stood in his feet once again and looked back at the door where Catherine left.

Why won't she tell anything to them?

To him?

Did he still not gain her trust?

Or she simply just planned on not telling them a thing?

Al continued to wonder, now with worriment mixing with his thoughts.

o-o—o-o-o-o-o-o—o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

A week had already passed with the brothers doing the same routine the first day they arrived at the Tucker estate – studying. The two dug through books and books, having only little time for break to play with Nina and Alexander.

At the current time, Nina was playing with her dolls, one of them in her hands; her fingers playing with the yellow strings that made up its hair. She glanced at the clock with lonely eyes.

The short hand is on number ten while the long one pointed at twelve.

_Ten o'clock_. She read in her mind.

The little girl frowned in boredom and tossed her doll to join the other ones in the floor. She has to put away those away later for her mom might scold her if she got home in a surprise visit. The little girl decided to keep her room neat every Sunday just in case.

She jumped from her bed, her little feet making a soft thud on the wooden floor of her room. After leaving her room, she went downstairs to the library to see the two brothers. With a careful twist of the doorknob, she opened the door just enough to let her peek inside. And there she saw Ed and Al still busy reading her dad's books. With that her eyebrows knitted sadly and closed the door quietly.

She slowly made her way to the quiet hallway, feeling alone and bored. Alexander was still asleep in the front yard and her two big brothers are busy studying for their upcoming test. Little Nina won't have any playmate until lunch. And it was still two hours to twelve.

She halted from her steps and sighed, her eyes shifting to the window overlooking the back garden. Her eyes twinkled curiously at the person sitting under one of the yard's trees, a book in her hand.

Nina continued to watch the unmoving girl sitting on the grassy garden, an option for having a playmate until lunchtime forming in her mind.

_But she's rude._ She reasoned to herself, pouting a little at the thought of playing dolls with rude Catherine.

_"Big sister Catherine is not going to take the exam so she has no studying to do. Why don't you try playing with her sometimes?"_ Her bigger brother's voice echoed inside her head.

The brunette stared at Catherine's figure for a little longer, a thin line of hesitant mope tugging her lips.

"Dammit! What kind of language is this?! Are these even words or just plain chicken scratch?" Catherine muttered to herself as her eyes narrowed irritatingly at the only brown page of the book. Strange characters were written all over the parchment, which obviously doesn't belong to the book because of its distinctive shade.

The book made her learn many things. Things she didn't know. At first the contents didn't make any sense. Only talking about myths and legends about how alchemy started.

It said there that about a thousand years ago, there was only one world, and that is Shambala. But because of an alchemist's defiance of the laws of nature, the balance was altered with such power that the world was split into two. The families and acquaintances of the alchemist who made the taboo was forced to separate themselves and lived on the other, new world called 'Earth' and those alchemists and their families who didn't team up with him stayed in Shambala. The two worlds were separated by the Gate, in which the world Earth is banned from using alchemy as a punishment for the alchemist who made the universal mayhem.

That last sentence made the young girl ponder for a few moments, feeling that the set of words sounds familiar to her ears. But after going over a few more thoughts, the best conclusion she had was:

_Yeah, it's a good fairytale to tell kids before bedtime, all right._

There were three Mifans, or what seemed to refer as 'gods' or 'creators' or 'elements' of alchemy. The first one was The Gate. Catherine snorted at that.

They could have just said 'factors', instead of 'gods' if the Gate is one of them. The structure was just a mere part of alchemy. It didn't create it. It just plays an essential role in maintaining the equilibrium between the alchemist and energy of nature.

The second one was 'the Dementor'. He, she, the gender wasn't mentioned, is described as the 'keeper of the gate', since he's the one who opens or closes it when an alchemist knocks at it with the equivalent exchanges needed.

What a joke.

The Gate opens in correspondence to the alchemist's sacrifice as equal trade. That's what equivalent exchange is for. The alchemist is the one who opens the Gate, not some creature that serves as its caretaker.

Catherine Ederson was about to toss the book aside after two days of reading and understanding it, thinking that she only wasted her time in reading such a ridiculous book.

But that decision was forgotten when she read the sentence:

'The third and last element is the Great Eye.'

With dilated eyes, the girl began to read the rest of the book for a couple of days.

As much as she can tell through the afoul translation of the author, the Great Eye is the most powerful of all the three elements. So powerful that it can surpass equivalent exchange, just like turning air into gold.

A scowl came up to her lips as she read that line, remembering Ed and Al's sacrifices.

_So it says now that I can transmute Al's body from thin air, huh?_ She thought sourly, trying to keep the urge to close the book and burn it instead.

Because of its diabolical force, 'the Dementor' is obliged to seal the monster every 500 hundred years to control its energy with that of the nature so balance in the universe can be maintained.

She gazed at the picture of a gigantic eye sketched in the rough surface of the leaf, the eye that has been visiting in her dreams…

At the bottom of the horrid illustration is a sentence written in italic letters that says:

_The One who sees the future. The source of all truths._

Source of all truths…

That line wasn't elaborated much, as if the author doesn't know what it meant as well. What kind truth? Truth about alchemy? Truth about the world? Truth about her visions?

With this thought passing her mind, Catherine read the smudgy lines of the book as hardly as she can, not understanding much of it. She just noticed that the word 'Lefix' kept popping in every page.

"We meet again, human. Or should I say, my Lefix." She remembered the Eye said.

She has to know what that word meant. But the details didn't give the girl any meaning of the word. So for next day she spent her whole time digging all kinds of dictionaries – Amestrian, Xingese, Tyranian, Pokanian, languages she really don't know but still dug them out to find out.

To no avail, the young alchemist didn't get a single meaning of the word. She was left with no choice but to read the rest of the book without even knowing what 'Lefix' meant. She read page by page and underlined every 'Lefix' word she can spot in hopes to figure out the meaning herself. But it was useless. She made the conclusion that the writer didn't have a clue about 'Lefix' as well when he wrote the book.

She was about to give up, thinking that information wasn't there, but was caught again when she flipped the sand – colored page of the book, the last page. The texts were obviously handwritten and the paper was not attached with the original pages, as if it's a piece of a puzzle with an undetermined place to fit in.

And that left her reading the page over and over again, or more like, staring at it over and over for she can't even read the characters. The meaning of the mysterious word maybe contained within this withering page. But, damn it. She can't even read a single letter!

So she was now in her current disposition, cussing and condemning the book and its writer for lacking the most important details and translation.

She flipped back through the previous pages and read some paragraphs over again. Maybe she just missed something…

"Hey!"

"Gah!" The sudden voice of someone caught her off guard and made her to shot upright from her slouched reading position, almost sending the book to fly from her hands. She glared at the destroyer of her peacefulness, who happened to be little girl Nina.

"You're jumpy." She commented with her head cocking to the side like a child giving her opinion about world domination.

"What do you want?" She snapped at her and returned to her book, not caring about the child's answer.

Nina frowned at her boorish behavior but asked anyway, "Can I fix your hair?" She then showed her a pink kit with all the assorted plaits, clips, hairpins and brushes. An eye twitched as Catherine saw the box full of hair accessories, just the thought of having them in her hair made her sick.

Especially those glittering hair clips.

Ugh.

"It doesn't need any fixing." The red – haired girl contorted, drifting her eyes back to her book. Nina placed the box down before continuing to convince her.

"Yes it does. Look at how you tied it. It's so messy." She argued while crossing her little arms over her chest. She has a point there. The eleven – year – old's hair was bounded by a loose plait, leaving her ruffled crimson locks to poke from the sides of her head, making her look disoriented, while the curled ends hung behind her waist.

Catherine tore her gaze from her book to glare at her, irritated with her last comment. "Just go away, will you?" She said through gritted teeth, trying not to free rude remarks from her lips.

"Just let me fix it, please?" She pleaded.

"I told you. It doesn't need fixing."

"Yes it does. _Someone_ needs to fix it because you can't because you're busy reading." She berated more.

"Yes. The very reason why you should be leaving now to give me some peace I need." She growled at her with piercing eyes.

"Why won't you just say yes?!" The four – year – old whined and stomped her foot angrily in front of her.

"Just go away." She shrugged the girl away and came back to reading. Bullying kids is not really her thing. The Tucker girl flared annoyed eyes at her form, her lips perching together tightly in a fuming manner.

"You're a nagger." She spat at her.

"Whatever." Was her only reply.

"I don't like you."

"Don't care."

"You're the rudest person ever."

"I'm not surprised."

"Your hair's ugly."

"Doesn't really matter."

"Your dress is hideous." She remarked at her white sleeveless tank top and brown Capri pants.

"Why don't you try looking at yours?" She stated rather than questioned as she flipped another page of her book. Blazing emerald eyes came down at her and Nina stomped her angry foot again.

"You'll never marry anyone because you're not nice!" She shouted in a high – pitched tone of a child and pointed a stiff finger at her direction. Why won't she get mad now?! It's frustrating her!

Red orbs side glanced at the huffing kid before it drifted back to the letters of the page. "How many times do I have to tell you to go away?" It wasn't a question.

"Just let me fix it. Pleaaassseee?????" She pleaded. When Catherine didn't answer she came to her front and sat, looking at her for moments in hopes that her begging eyes will do the work. But realized that it was completely ignored after the redhead girl stayed uncaringly silent for three minutes.

"Just let me fix your hair! I promise I won't bother you from your reading! I'll be quiet!"

"…."

Maybe plainly ignoring her will stow her away.

"Hey! I said I promised I'll be quiet in doing it!"

No answer.

Silence hung in the air, convincing Catherine for a moment that the kid finally decided to leave her alone. But that thought stood corrected by the sounds of a suppressed cry from Nina.

Catherine put the book down her lap to glance at the teary eyes of the little brunette. She watched her for moments, feeling her cheek twitched as the child's lips curled into a frown and tears threaten to flood from her big baby eyes.

"I just…I just…Why won't you just let me fix your hair!" She wailed and started to cry waterfalls. The twitch came up to Catherine's eye and she back away from the loud, bawling four –year – old a little, panic setting in her nerves.

"H-hey! D-don't cry!" She tried to comfort, but that only made little Nina to set more tears and wail even more. With a last jerking of her eye and cheek, she ran a hand through her face and let out an exasperated and defeated sigh.

Stupid children and their big tears.

Nina hiccupped and pushed her tears with the back of her hand, but new ones only replaced them as she continued to sob. A hand placed itself on top of her head, and she looked up with bleary green eyes to see that it was Catherine's, who has her head turned sideways.

"Fine. You can…" The older girl paused, her hand still on the child's head. She sighed again in trounce before continuing,

"…fix my hair." She finished through gritted teeth. Just saying that makes her eye twitch yet again. Nina blinked at her, registering her words for a moment. She smiled broadly at her victory.

"Only if you will be quiet! I'm reading some important book here 'ya know." She added quickly and pushed her hand a little harder in the kid's head for emphasis.

"I promise I won't be loud!" The small girl reassured with a beaming face, her tears still glittering on the sides of her face. Standing from the grass, she moved around fetched her pink box of hair assortments.

Catherine grunted at her and stuck her nose in the book again as she mumbled something incoherent. Not long after, Nina was already behind her, starting her task by pulling her long red hair from its bond. The tresses then cascaded down her spine up to the tailbone, the curly ends tickling her elbows, as she sat there, unmoving.

From the back of her head, Nina ran a pink brush through her long ruby locks, unlocking some nasty knots in the process.

"Ow!" Catherine screeched as a bundle of hair was painfully pulled from her scalp.

"Sorry." Nina Tucker apologized then resumed to combing, carefully this time.

With a few more grunts and complaints for agreeing in this in the first place, Catherine left the girl do her volunteer job for a good fifteen minutes. So absorbed in the book, she almost forgot that little Nina was there, doing her hair with gentle little hands.

She was reading the last paragraph of the page when a circular mirror blocked her eyes. A reflection of a ruby – eyed girl wearing gruesome braided pigtails greeted her. It took her a few seconds to see it was her who was wearing the gruesome pigtails. With eyes as wide as saucers, she felt her cheek jerk with annoyance again. Why had she agreed with this again?

"What the…" She stated, one of her eyebrows following to jolt with her cheek.

"There. Now we have the same hairstyle!" Nina grinned happily and raised her arms to rejoice.

"Same…hairstyle..?" She gnawed then dropped her book to the green ground. She then swiveled her head, making the pigtails to flail around her, glowering at the younger girl.

"Is something wrong, big sister?" She asked innocently.

"You said you're going to fix it! Not make it awfully like your dolls'!" The tiny figure of Nina flinched at her loudness and looked down in shame. "Sorry. I thought you'd like it. I'll just put it back and play with Alexander. I think he's already awake now." She complied with a miniscule voice then went back to undo the braids she worked for minutes.

Catherine frowned then snapped her head back to the letter of the book's leaves, hating the pounding guilt that's beginning to form inside of her system.

"Justdoanotherstyle." She muttered in one breath.

"What's that?" Nina asked.

"I said just do another style." She repeated with a grumble.

Blinking at the abrupt change of answer, Nina gave out an adorable chuckle and started working with her new - found big sister's hair again.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Edward reached his arms to the ceiling to stretch his tired muscles. After that he placed his hand on his waist then bended his hips back and forth. He threw back his upper body with a deep intake of breath and left his head to dangle, giving him a view of an upside down Al.

"Why don't we take a break brother? We've been holed in here since six in the morning." His armored brother suggested. A stack of books was piled in his hands, its height almost reaching the tip of his helmet's horn.

Ed pulled his body up and glanced at the clock nailed above one of the bookshelves. It's almost lunchtime. As if to correspond to the time, a wild grumble then filled the silent room.

A sweat drop hung in Al's head.

"Yeah. We better should." Ed agreed with a drained laugh.

After putting back all of the books they managed to scatter in the library's floor, which is not a good sight to remember, the two brothers came out with slouched shoulders after finishing the extreme job at last.

"Man, I'm starving." The older Elric complained which followed by an agreeing whine of his stomach.

Al snickered at his brother then walked to the direction of the living room door to find Nina. He stopped from his tracks when his ears caught muffled noises from the backyard garden. By the hallway's window, he saw Catherine holding out a hand mirror in front of her as Nina does her hair with tails and combs.

"Hey Al! I found Alexander. I wo-" Ed cut himself when he saw his brother staring at the window intently. With his withdrawn attention, Alexander pulled the leash the blond was holding by running towards the slightly opened doorway at the end of the hallway.

Ignoring the runaway dog, he walked over by Al's side to see what's he's so fascinated about. He raised a brow when he only saw Catherine whose hair is now pulled back in a neat ponytail, curly tresses dangling in the sides of her face, with Nina clapping cheerily in her side.

He smirked knowingly and placed his hands on his hips.

"You know. That girl's interesting." Edward articulated which made Al jumped from his gawking to look down at his older brother, looking for some elaboration.

"I mean her alchemy without circles. It interests me. What about you? What interests you about her?" If Al had a real face right now, it would be steaming red with embarrassment.

Looking away from his sibling, he returned his eyes to Catherine's now smiling face. Come to think of it, this is the first time he saw her smile like that. A true smile for once…

"So?" Ed pursued at him. After moments of silent contemplation, he draw out a,

"Shut up."

The older of the two let out an amused snort through his nose.

Interest is a weak word to start with.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Nine months had passed in a swift and the state exam is drawing near. The Elrics didn't waste any time for studying as they burned their eyes with reading and reviewing each other with complex alchemic arrays and formulas they learned.

As for Catherine, she spent most of the time with Nina and Alexander. Even the eleven – year – old wouldn't admit, she became attached with the Tucker. Even with the persistent nagging and snapping that began from the very start, Catherine developed the closest relationship she never thought she would even have with anyone – a sister.

The grandfather clock rang its baritone bell, making Edward Elric's head to shot up to glance at the hands.

It's exactly twelve o' clock.

Slowly, he stood up from the piles of books covering his legs then stretched his arms up his head with a loud yawn. After that, his hands landed near his hips then started to wiggle the spasm building up in his neck.

With a weary, long exhale, he sigh, "Didn't notice the time."

Leaving the books the way they were, for he will come back into reading them after ravaging enough food, the blond alchemist made his way out of the library to the deserted hallway of the house. In the process of bending the knotted muscles in his nape as he strolled, Ed spotted a door left ajar. He paused and proceeded towards it to see if he could find Nina and the others in there.

Once close enough, he leant forward to peek an eye through the small crack. From his view he saw Shou Tucker's circular glasses glinting from the bright light of the lamp beside him, his eyes hidden from view. A straight line was drawn in his face as he sat himself in a wooden chair, working at something lain on the table before him. Ed's golden eyes squinted through the poor lighting emitting the room, peering closely to make a picture of the object the Sewing Life Alchemist was operating on.

Maybe it's one of his talking chimeras. Ed concluded mentally, the thought pushing him to stick his nose the more to find out.

Tucker continued to sit there, unaware of the boy's presence. After more minutes of intent observation, the alchemist saw some red liquid splatter across the surface of his glasses. Honey – eyes widened in horror as they recognized the vile liquid.

Blood.

Tucker then removed the blood – covered glasses, giving Ed the chance to see the maniacal glint flashing in his eyes. His grin then went from ear – to- ear as his hand held a raw meat, its fresh blood drawing a crimson line from his hand to the end of his elbows until it formed a spherical drop at the tip of the bone, dangling for a second before it dripped to the next ground.

The sound echoed tingly through Ed's ear then came up to his head to rattle his skull with fear. An involuntary gasp escaped his lips as he discovered that the thing he was holding was beating with life.

A heart.

A living, human heart.

The black part of his eyes shrunk into dots in horrid realization. Pulling back from the door, he stumbled the rest of the steps aback until his back came contact with the cold wall, giving him no escape.

What was that?

Why is a human's organ doing in his hands?

Edward clenched his teeth as he suppressed his screams to a minimum. His jaw began to tremble and his throat went dry, the beating veins of the heart reverberating inside his head.

What is the Sewing Life Alchemist's job exactly?

"Brother! Someone's here to greet you!" He almost had his heart jumped from his ribs at the loud voice of Alphonse. He kept his head from shaking as he swiveled it gradually to the direction of the back garden's door. There he saw Al, Nina, and Catherine with a man wearing rectangular spectacles waving at him goofily.

He's the same man who saved him from falling from a train's roof months ago…

What was his name again?

"Yo! Edward Elric! Just came by to say Happy Birthday!" He shouted like a cheery man he looks to be.

Bloody hands halted from its task of wiping the contemptible liquid from the plane of the glasses, their muscles jolting with apprehension at the sounds of voices so near to him. He threw his head back to glower at the crack of the door with loony eyes, a deep frown wrinkling the sides of his lips.

He needs to pace up.

Time is running short for him, like always.

* * *

A/N: I apologize again for cutting this chapter! I honestly have no time to type it all because it's so long and there are two or three projects waiting in line for me type…D: So all I can say is sorry for the late update and thanks for those who still look forward in the progress of this story. Also, sorry for the grammatical errors and typos…this chapter is done in a rush so I'll not be surprised if many of you will complain about it…

Constructive criticism is always welcome. They help me improve….well, somehow. –grins sheepishly-

Oh yeah I forgot…Please read and review! XD


	16. Gate within part III

A/N: Sorry for the super late update! I've been doing a major thesis and research paper these past two months…not to mention the pain in the ass projects lurking around my worktable as well…I'm really sorry…

I hope this chapter can make it up somehow…:(

Sorry in advance for typos and any other grammatical and spelling errors...:)

Chapter 16 - The gate within part III

* * *

With gold eyes still hazed with horror, Edward remained in his position on the floor, his flat back pressed against the cold wall. Catherine was the first one to raise a brow at his current disposition, her dubious red eyes examining him hardly.

"Are you okay, Brother? You look kind of pale." Al noted as he took a step towards the elder Elric, his clanking step jerked Ed back to reality.

"I - I'm fine. I guess." He stammered as he tried to regain his footing despite his doddering legs.

"Are you okay, small big brother?" Nina asked worriedly up at him. "Yeah, I'm fine." Ed replied with a pat on her brunette head.

"Sick or not, you're coming with me at my house, birthday boy! My wife slaved for hours to bake your cake so there's no way you'll gonna break her heart by not attending your own party!" Major Maes Hughes announced jollily as he pat Edward's back with a little too much force than the boy can handle.

"Yay! A party! Can I join?" The four - year - old exclaimed excitedly.

"Of course! You can bring the fur ball over there if you want." Maes said, jamming a thumb towards a huffing Alexander,

"Hooray!" Nina rejoiced even more.

"I have a party?" Ed asked airily, his round eyes blinking with confusion.

"Of course! It's your birthday today, isn't it? Don't tell me you forgot?" The man interjected lightly.

"Yeah it is. Hey wait a minute…" the golden - eyed boy glanced questioningly at the head of the Amestris Military Investigation Team; well he doesn't that information yet.

"How did you know my birthday?" The young boy asked.

"He's the head of the Investigation Team brother." Al's echoed voice answered him.

"Yes. I've read your bio in your application form for the alchemy exam this coming month. You ready for it?"

Ed flinched inside and out at the question. "Actually, I don't really know. Maybe readily nervous, I think." He answered sheepishly while rubbing his nape.

"Well, good luck about that. I really don't know about the exact whoopin' of the state exam but I do know it's pretty tough. Seen a lot of thirty - year- old crybabies after flunking the test every year." Maes chuckled, intimidating Ed and Al the more than they were the past nine months.

_If older, more experienced alchemists can't simply pass the exam, how much more is a kid like me? _Ed's mind taunted him, making him sweat a little. But a determined sparkle in his golden hued eyes appeared when a crossing thought he had for months since their taboo, rebuking him with a,

_But you're not a kid anymore Edward Elric. You're a sinner with a responsibility to bring his brother's body back._

"But don't you worry. You seem smart, you can get through it." Hughes assured with a toothy grin.

"Yeah. Al and I will definitely pass that test." Ed's stern statement followed the man's assertion with a fist on his palm.

"Speaking of the test, aren't you going to take it with them, missy? I have heard you too are also an alchemist like these boys." The kind - hearted soldier directed to the red - haired girl who was left silent in the previous conversation.

Her blood eyes focused on the man for a second for recognition of his question, but drifted away indifferently the next moment. "Being an alchemist doesn't mean you have to join the military." With that snide comment she turned on her back and left with the backdoor.

"Hey big sister! Wait up!" Nina called out as she ran after the older girl with Alexander barking in tow.

The Major raised a black eyebrow at the door before shooting the two boys a silent question saying, _DId I say something wrong?, _which is easily read by the two.

"Uh, sorry about that. She just tends to be-"

"Unreasonably rude and apathetic all the time." Ed supplied for him.

"I think a little detached is more appropriate." Al corrected with a hinted glare towards his brother.

"I see. Issues, we all have those." Hughes shrugged, flashing his wrist watch to himself for time check. "The party starts in ten minutes, so we better hurry up before the birthday boy gets late on his own party."

"Right." The two replied in unison then followed the soldier to the door. Ed suddenly stopped in his tracks to spare a glance on the cracked door through his shoulder, the thing he saw in there still fresh and playing in his memory.

After a moment of deliberating if, he'll check it out more or not, he turned around and hurried to Al and the others.

If there's something Shou Tucker is hiding from them, he'll figure it out later.

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"HAPPY BIRTHDAY EDWARD!" A very pregnant Mrs. Gracia Hughes greeted with all the enthusiasm her tired and swelling body could muster, her arms opened warmly for a hug.

The eleven - year - old, already turned twelve, gasped at the decorations and foods before him. The lengthy wood table was filled with plates of spaghetti, fried chicken, blueberry muffins, ice cream and a rather large cake with blue and white icing at the center, twelve unlit candles standing on the foamy surface.

Soon, his head was wearing a red party hat, matching his red trench coat. He looked up to see Maes Hughes grinning at him cheerily, a blue party hat placed on his head, clearly not his size.

"Happy birthday, kiddo!" He shouted with a strong pat on his back, stumbling Ed a little.

"Heh, thanks, Major." Ed answered back with a lopsided smile. It has been a while since he got a party like this.

Hours seem to pass by so quickly at the Hughes household as the celebration was spent with parlor games, eating and singing Ed the 'happy birthday' song for almost five times due to Mr. Hughes insistent goofy joy.

An interesting shade of red had spread across Ed's cheeks when it's time to blow his candle and _make a wish_. Even though he marked to himself months ago as 'not a kid anymore', he still made a wish in his mind, a blissful wish saying,

_I wish I can return Al back A.S.A.P._

Major Hughes was convenient enough to have a camera with him that time and captured the scene with Ed puffing his cheeks to blow the candles.

Another flash of camera lighted the room after Catherine made a comment about Ed having a difficult time blowing the large cakes' candles and told Nina to help him out a bit, making the short boy to struggle in Al's hold shouting threats and obscenities at their girl companion. The snapshot was priceless - Ed lifted a foot in the air by Alphonse as he tried to throw his fists at Catherine who was snickering in the side with Nina.

"Hey, Cath. Enjoying your food?" The red - haired girl snapped her head up from her plate of spaghetti, two legs of chicken and a couple of muffins, to see Alphonse's armor hovering over her, her mouth still puffed with spaghetti and blueberry muffins.

"A bit." She answered before going back to her eating. Al chuckled at her and sat beside her by the floor. He then heard a choking sound from her before she rushed the orange juice beside her to her throat, finishing it with three gulps.

Another soft chuckle escaped Al's echoic armor as we watched the girl heaved her ten - second lost of oxygen.

"Hey I almost died there." She frowned at him as he continued to laugh at her unfortunate.

"Yeah right. You seemed a little hungry there." Al mocked. Catherine grumbled something at him and threw a whole muffin at her mouth, chewing it with crumbs sprinkling from the sides of her mouth.

"I haven't eaten any breakfast yet." She excused through mouthful of cupcake. A light snicker came from Al as he remembered the same excuse she made at the train station.

She shifted her legs under her in a position she can feel her limbs later on, repositioning her plate at the center of her crossed legs before she continued finishing her food. Al stared at her quite difficulty with a tilted helmet.

"Are you that fond of hallways, or do you just want to make your sitting uncomfortable?" He asked with a tint of curiousity.

"Maybe just the first one, 'cause I find sitting on the floor very relaxing if you want my opinion." She answered flippantly as she shoved the last strands of spaghetti to her mouth.

"Oh, really now?" A shrug from the one year older girl was given to him as an answer. Al couldn't help but smile to himself at the odd twists of this girl.

"Ed seems pretty happy today." Catherine noted as she pointed her look to the dining table across them, with Ed opening some gifts Mr. and Mrs. Hughes wrapped for him.

The golden - eyed boy's smile warmed even more when little Nina presented him a drawing with the four of them holding hands. The drawing was doodled, but the distinguishable hair and eye colors were appreciable from a four - year - old.

"Yeah, it is his birthday. He _must _be happy."

"Hmm…that's why it's called 'happy birthday', right?" She mused frivolously.

"Yeah. I guess that's the reason behind it." Al said back with a chuckle. She just replied with a bite of her chicken leg.

A long silence stretched between the two sitting side by side until Al broke it with a question.

"Speaking of birthdays, when is yours?" Catherine's right eye twitched at the personal question. After losing all of her memories, she started to loathe those kinds of questions. Why? Because she has no answers for them! She preferred a question about the chemical makeup of a shampoo rather than her parents' name, let alone her own, _real _name.

The last part wasn't so hard to endure, for she had gotten completely accustomed to her preferred, yet not real, name – Catherine Ederson. She has been using it for more than a year now and silently praying everyday that Fate wouldn't let her to meet the name's real owner. If that happened, she wouldn't know what is more embarrassing – Ed and Al finding out that she actually had her name on her 'forgotten list' or being sued by an angry author. But maybe that would likely happen on the latter part, when she already retrieved her memories, or would never happen at all. Maybe the author was dead, who knows? So she doesn't really have to worry about that.

Nevertheless, she still hated times when she's asked with questions regarding her, just like now.

"Uh…I'm really not sure." She answered off handedly with a bite on her last muffin. Al detected the sarcasm in her voice, the reminder that she lost her memories flashing in his mind.

"Oh, sorry. Forgot about that."

"It's okay. With Tucker's friends visiting every weekends asking me the same questions every week, I kinda got used to it."

"They asked you about your background?"

"Yeah. Once or twice every week. Nosy people." She complained.

"What do you tell them?" Al asked inquisitively, a quiet plea in his head hoping that she had handled those times with all the 'politeness' she has, knowing Catherine.

"I always come up with excuses. But on the first time I snapped at those who did press the subject." She replied before finishing the blueberry muffin.

"Where are we at those times?"

"You two are always at the library burning your eyes out with books." She reminded.

"Oh, right."

Unfolding her legs with a sigh, Catherine stood from the floor with eating utensils in her hands. "Well, I'm going for a second round, the spaghetti is awesome. I wonder what Mrs. Hughes put on those." She remarked.

"Wait." Al called when she started to walk towards the dining table. She turned around at his request.

"What?"

Contemplating at his question for a few moments, he asked, "So, when do you want your birthday?" She blinked at the sudden question for a few moments, silently contemplating it then smiled. He can be a little too thoughtful sometimes.

"I don't need a birthday." She retorted a small frown tugging the side if her mouth.

"How can you turn twelve when you don't have a birthday? You can't remain eleven forever." Al pressed.

"With or without a birthday, my life span will still continue to circulate with aging." She said as - a - matter - of – factly with a wave of her free hand.

"If you want to know my age, just count the years from my age when I came to your house. Birthdays are just for trivial celebrations." She added before turning away.

"Even so, everyone needs a birthday. Even Den has her birthday." Al argued sadly, bowing his helmet to hide his metaphoric sadness. Catherine paused in her tracks once again when she heard the despondency in his voice which made her want to take back that last comment.

She just doesn't want any birthday, is it that hard to understand? She can't remember it anyway, so why bother spending one? Even though, there is this very tiny bit part of herself that wondered when her birthday is. It is not normal for someone to not know their own birthday.

A scowl escaped her lips at that thought. She wanted to say sorry – for snapping at him and for mentioning that wretched night, but as always, pride took over her words,

"Just – just pick any random day or something for my birthday if that's what gonna make you happy. So…whatever." She interlined unsurely with a dismissive wave of her hand before continuing her way to the table of foods.

Al watched her as she dumped a pile of spaghetti in her plate, an idea forming in his mind.

_Pick any random day…hmm…_

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"This muffin is really good." Ed said through his mouth full of muffin bits. It's his twenty – something piece this day. Who's counting? Definitely not Edward.

"Why thank you Edward. There are at least ten left if you still want some." Gracia Hughes offered genially, pushing a plate full of blueberry muffins in front of him. After munching and gulping the cupcake, he reached over to get some more.

Before he can get his next piece, an arm snaked around his neck in a tight headlock, pulling him away from the heavenly deliciousness just inches away from him.

"Say Edward, twelve is just a year away from adolescence. Any girlfriend in mind yet?" Hughes interjected as he imprisoned the young boy in one strong arm, half choking him.

"N-n-n-NO ONE! I DON'T HAVE A GIRLFRIEND!" Ed screamed in defiance.

"Oh really now? What's her name?" Hughes asked, not comprehending a word Ed said.

"I SAID I DON-"

"Maes, cut it out. He's just a kid." Gracia scolded at her husband.

"Her name's Winry." Catherine answered Hughes' question from the living room.

"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND! SHE'S JUST MY MECHANIC!" Ed hollered even more, now attempting to get out of Maes' arm.

"We must invite her, too." Hughes suggested.

"Nah, she's in Reseembool." The red – haired girl continued to answer.

"HEY!" Ed protested at being ignored.

"Reseembool. It's a three day train from here, right? Being so far, it must be hard for your relationship. Oh young love…" Hughes, still not hearing any of Ed's yells, venerated his own thoughts about teenage love and relationships.

"WHAT THE HELL! I JUST SAID THAT SHE'S JUST MY MECHANIC AND NOT MY DAMN GIRLFRIEND!"

"Oh, the fun." Catherine sighed luxuriously in her seat in the lavender sofa, eating a chicken leg with content and evil pleasure flashing in her eyes as Ed's rants and yelps continued to fill the whole house.

"So, you think Brother likes Winry, too?" Al interlined from his seat across from her.

"That and pissing him off is an entertaining thing to do from time to time." She ruminated while pointing her chicken leg at Ed's direction.

"That is so mean." Al reprimanded her with a laugh.

"Oh so she made your automail? What a loving girlfriend she is. Doing a men's job just to make her boyfriend walk again." He purred with his eyes sparkling.

"AAARRGHHH! SHE'S JUST MY DAMN AUTOMAIL MECHANIC!" Ed hollered in both irritation and exasperation.

"Honey, I think that's enough teasing for the birthday boy." Mrs. Hughes scolded with pity for Edward.

"Okay, okay. I'll stop now…" Her husband obeyed then loosened his arm from the blond alchemist. However, before the older Elric could sigh in relief, two arms came strangling him in a more pungent headlock.

"So, when did you start dating? C'mmon I have to know…" Maes questioned playfully at the choking boy.

"I – said – she's – NOT MY GIRLFRIEND! SHE'S JUST MY MECHANIC!!!!" Ed bellowed with all the air he had left.

"I've done some interrogations in my career ya' know, and I approve you guilty for having a girlfriend." Hughes articulated in a fake professional tone, subconsciously tightening his arm grip around the kid's air passage.

"AUUGGHHHHH!" A feminine scream echoed throughout the Hughes residence, towering even Ed's raging yells.

All eyes jerked to the kitchen counter to see Gracia Hughes lying on the floor beside a spilled pot of tea, her elbows supporting half of her body in struggle to remain conscious, a very pained expression painted across her features.

Mr. Hughes was the first one to approach his wife's aide.

Soon after Edward scrambled from his seat in the dining area to follow the older man with Nina and Alexander in tow. Catherine and Al left their comfortable places in the Hughes sofa to see what was happening themselves. The four children gathered around the commotion with a good distance from the Hughes couple, the look of lost evident in their faces.

"Honey? What's wrong?" The topaz – eyed man asked worriedly at his beloved, his hand clamming to her back and front for support. Gracia murmured something in response, which to Hughes, sounded like,

"Is it the tea?" He asked apprehensively.

"It's the baby!" She growled angrily before grimacing in her stomach pain again, the life inside her kicking her insides as if it demands to be let it out to see the world.

"AAAHHHH!" Five people screamed in response.

"But the doctor said next week!" Hughes whined, hoping that his wife was just having those mood swings caused by raging hormones like what Dr. Hallman said.

"But the baby says NOW!" The pregnant woman grounded grudgingly. A howl of agony escaped her once again, sending all the people in the house to panic.

"Uh...what to do, what do…." Hughes chanted as he rummaged in his mind of some of the 'emergency birth' operandi he had planned on his mind since his wife got pregnant. Unfortunately all those tactics were washed away with dread as he heard his wife growl with more pain.

"MAAAEES! The baby…!" Gracia reminded him with impatience and agony.

"I'm going to get the doctor." He finally decided then swiftly got his fur coat from the coat hanger.

"But – but it's a blizzard outside." Al pointed out shakily as they looked at the living room window to see currently bad weather covering the outside world with thick white blanket of snow and foggy atmosphere.

"Kids, just stay here with Gracia until I got home with the doctor." With that Maes Hughes left the house with a weighty silence for moments, panic and fear written all over the four children.

"So, who wants more ..party games?" Mrs. Hughes joked weakly from the floor.

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After a good twenty minutes of carefully laying the pregnant woman on sofa – most part done by Al – with gentle, though shaking (A/N: Without muscles to be tense with, how can Al shake in fear? Maybe his spirit has muscles. Okay, that was stupid. That's why I told you don't ask me about this kind of things! DX The answer relies on your own unique imaginations. X3), hands as possible, the foursome stood like statues in front of the heaving woman, waiting for her to say something.

"Ugghhh!" A loud growl of obvious pain came from her, making the four to make their first step to panic zone.

"What are we gonna do? What are we gonna do?" Ed ranted erratically, his gloved hands gripping at the hair of his head.

"Brother! I think she's dead! What are we going to do?" Al shrieked and pointed a gauntlet finger at the still form of Gracia.

"You idiot! She's still breathing you moron! See?!" Catherine shot back at him with equal fear as she pointed a slender finger at the moving chest of the pregnant woman.

Mrs. Hughes green eyes fluttered open to glaze at the four children before her with fatigue and suppressed agony.

"Don't panic. Just…just get what I need, okay?" She asked them feebly before her face contorted with grounded pain.

"Wh – what d-do you need, Mrs. Hughes?" Al asked uncertainly. He hoped it's not about cutting her stomach into half to get the baby out. That thought made Al pale on the inside.

"Catherine, get some fresh towels on the second drawer in our bedroom." She directed at the red – haired girl who nodded in obedience before disappearing to the said room with Nina.

"Edward, Alphonse, I need you to boil some water and put in a basin. You can find the kettle on the first kitchen cabinet from the left and the basi-" The woman cut her instructions when a panging throb came to her stomach and kneaded her insides. A screech of hurt filled the whole house, sending the two Elrics to run around the living room helplessly.

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Another twenty minutes had passed and Mr. Hughes hasn't arrived yet with the promised doctor. Wet towels and water drops littered the Hughes living area as Nina have voluntarily taken the task to damp a wet towel on the woman's forehead to relieve the growing migraine there somehow.

The three alchemists just stood before the panting Gracia, watching her with intent eyes as something would grow at her any second now.

"It's about time for Mr. Hughes to arrive with the doctor." Ed hissed with panic still coloring his voice.

"I hope he's on his way. I don't think Mrs. Hughes can hold any longer." Al responded, his hands clasped in his front in a fearful manner of what might happen next if Maes doesn't pop next to them this second.

"I think I'm going to be sick now…" Catherine muttered as her eyes continued to gaze at Gracia's overgrown stomach, swearing to all the gods out there that she saw some movement inside of it seconds ago.

"Hey, you're a girl! You should know what to do in this kind of situation! Why don't you get the baby out now?" Ed suggested with a digit directed at her direction. The young alchemist's eyes bugged out at her friend's stupid assumption.

"How the hell would I know anything about giving births!? I don't even exactly know where the baby will come out!" She hollered at him with a visible vein in her neck.

"Being a girl and all, you should have some experience on it!" The blonde alchemist argued back at her.

"_Experience!? _I haven't had my first menstruation yet and you expect me to have some _experience!?_" She growled with grinded teeth. The panic running through her veins surely didn't mix well Ed's shown off stupidity about the opposite sex.

"Well, you are a girl! You should know about this kind of things!" Ed pointed out with his hands on hips.

"Yes, I, by the force of nature, do belong to the female species, completely unrelated!" She spat back at his face with the loudest voice she could congregate at the moment.

"Wh-"

"Guys! Please, stop fighting! You two aren't helping!" Al rebuked which cut Ed's next snap into an indignant scowl. Catherine did the same thing and glared at him with irritated eyes before jerking her sight to the side.

Boys are unworldly stupid. She could bet her whole life for that.

"What are we gonna do, Brother?" Al inquired with his gloved hands close to his chest plate.

"We have nothing to do but wait until the Major comes home with the doctor." Catherine answered bitterly with her usual icy tone.

Ed's blond eyebrows knitted frustratingly at that.

Do nothing.

He can do nothing right now. He thought with alchemy, he can do anything. He even thought he could bring his mother back from the dead. But right now, even with alchemy, he can't think of anything he can do. He felt panicked, helpless, and useless.

The last word unnerved him.

Useless.

An alchemist, who must 'be thou for the people' is useless to a mother ready to give birth to child. With a fist brought up in front of him, he nailed it to his palm, taking a little of his aggravation on the short gesture.

"Dammit. Why can't we do something now? Anything! Why can't we do a single thing to help Mrs. Hughes?" He hissed as he buried his fist deeper into his automail palm in provocation.

"Small big brother…" Nina called out; the former eleven – year – old snapped his attention to her who knelt by the basin on the floor, a hand submerged on the water to check its temperature.

"The water's already cold." She announced sadly with troubled emerald eyes. Acknowledging the implied request, the elder Elric walked over the basin and knelt before it, clamping his hands on the lip of the washbasin in attempt to carry it.

Until blue lights elicited from his hands towards the cold water, which was boiling hot with smoke in mere two seconds.

Four pair of eyes bugged out from their sockets at the sudden spur in the moment, their mouth gaping like fishes out of water, including the alchemist who performed it.

"Brother…how did you do that without a circle? You didn't use any circles, did you?" Al was the first one to ask abruptly as he leaned over Ed's work to see if he made some invisible array or something.

"I have no idea…I just…I just thought about heating the water then…then this happened." He explained as much as he can while gesturing his arms towards the boiled water.

"Idiot…" Catherine murmured to herself. She can't believe he still didn't figure that one out.

Catching her comment, the blond shot a dirty look at the red – haired, "Hey you! I just did what you won't teach me for months now! Now tell me how exactly to do it!" Ed demanded on the female alchemist.

"Just clap your hands, you idiot." She grumbled at him with a visible twitch on her eye.

Blinking his eyes with confusion, puzzlement took over his face when he asked, "Clapping my hands? How in the hell would that even start a tran-"

"AUUGGHHHH!" Gracia interrupted with a very pained expression painted all over her.

"WAAHHHH!": The foursome shouted in unison, panic mode switched on for the umpteenth time that day.

"We'll continue the lessons later, Ed." She opted, though she wished one of them took a lesson about giving births.

"Yeah, we have much bigger problems to solve." Al agreed precariously as he dared to look at Gracia's weary form. After that thought said, another load scream of agony escaped from the soon – to - be – mother woman.

"The head! It's…AUUGGHHH!!" Gracia informed them as she twisted her face in agony, her hadn now clutching the fabric of her maternity dress.

"AAAHHHHH!!!!" They all screamed together, now with Alexander barking in the side to join the chaos.

"The head! She said the head's coming out!" Al screamed in terror.

"She didn't say anything like that!" The older Elric denied even he knew it was what the woman was trying to say.

"Dammit. Should've have really read that first – hand birth manual." Catherine cursed at the remembrance of the book she once found and let unread in the Tucker estate.

Another growl of suffering sounded from the pregnant woman before she dropped unconsciously on her side.

Not a good sign.

"WAAAHHH!" The four yelled in deafening unison.

"She's dead, Brother! What are we going to do?!" Al fretted as he clutched his helmet, a spiritual head ache beginning to climb up.

"Would you stop saying that she's dead!" Catherine screeched as she threw a punch against his metal shoulder.

"Just calm down…all we need to do is calm down…" Ed tried to soothe him and the others, which only lasted when Nina started to bawl out in tears. With that, everyone was set to screaming again which is predicted to last until Maes arrives.

"She's dead! What are we gonna do?! Life is expensive in alchemy!" Al yelped with full blown panic.

"Don't weigh a human's life with alchemy's principles!" Ed corrected him with panic etched all over him as well.

"Stop screaming around like a bunch of morons! SHE IS NOT DEAD!" The high – pitch scream of Catherine scolded before a large pan from nowhere came connected to their heads, the clashing sound reverberating all over the Hughes residence.

The Major is sure taking a while bringing the doctor home.

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The foreign, yet relieving cry of a newborn child filled the silent master bedroom of the Hughes household. Edward's eyes twinkled with awe as he watched the life that was just inside of Mrs. Hughes stomach two hours ago kick and wiggle about in its mother's arms before him, its honey – green eyes fluttering open every now and then.

"Congratulations, Mr. Hughes. You're a father to a beautiful daughter." Dr. Hallman announced as he wipe his blood covered hands with a hand towel.

"I'm a father….?" Maes Hughes trailed as he gazed at his child tucked in her mother's comfort, her little arms reaching out to him before resuming to crying again. "I'm a father!" He declared loudly this time and carefully took his child into his arms, lingering the sight of its similar light brown hair and green eyes.

Catherine managed a small smile as she looked at the tiny creature move and cry with life and innocence. _Who knew something that small can make a lot of trouble. _She thought wistfully to herself before letting out a resigned sigh. Boy, was they glad that was over and done with.

Mr. Hughes made it on time before any inevitable happened. So very on time that they were sure that the head was already peeking out of Gracia's torso until Hughes threw the door open with violent bang on the opposite wall, proclaiming that the doctor was in the house.

The three was left in the living room to twitch with aftershock panic as the doctor performed his operation on the bedroom. That was way too close to make any room for comfort.

_Well at least it's over now. _Edward thought with relief and lightness as he continued to observe the family before them, a blissful memory of the complete family he once have flashing before his eyes. Gold eyes glazed with reminiscence shifted there way to the tiled floor to prevent the image from taking over his mind.

There's no turning back now. There's no home to go back to.

"I would like to thank these kids for helping me out. They have been such help to me." Mrs. Hughes said amiably, her emerald eyes and bright smile flashing genuinely at the four children in the room.

"Oh really?" Maes expressed his warm gratitude with two words.

"Eh? We didn't do anything. We just screamed around the house. No help done at all." Ed admitted honestly while waving his hands in front of him.

"We can't even do a simple thing such as calming down." Al added with shame. Catherine settled with furrowed brows as a sign of her indignity for being completely useless two hours ago.

But all their assumptions were tied down with a shook of Mrs. Hughes head, a true smile of appreciation offered to them. "That's not true. You were right by my side." She told them as she hugged her newborn daughter close to her still weak – shaken frame.

The three alchemists let their jaws to slacken at what the woman had just said. They had been help? In what way? Being there at her side screaming like a bunch of idiots? Not being able to reach the mother's perspective, they just accepted the warm 'thank you' they technically don't deserve, content smiles decorating their faces, even for Al who cheered himself with an inside grin of his own.

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"Big sister! Dinner time!" Nina declared cheerily as she boosted herself inside Catherine's room in an amazing speed the older girl didn't think a four – year – old can have. She glanced up from her good book called "Elemental Attributes" in recognition of the little girl's presence.

The child didn't take long before she threw herself in the soft mattress of the bed, distracting Catherine enough to even think of going back to reading. "It's stew for tonight!" She informed with innocent happiness only a little kid like her could radiate.

"Yeah, yeah. Be there in a minute. Now would you get off my bed?" She snapped at the little girl, though the venom that once resided in those words was replaced with mild annoyance.

"Fine!" With that she stuck out her tongue childishly and jumped out of the bed to head for the door.

But before she reached the exit, she spun around to face Catherine from across the room, her wide green eyes not failing to twinkle when she asked, "Hey, can you get two big brothers for me? It's my turn to feed Alexander today."

"Your turn?" The red – haired girl inquired with a raised eyebrow, halting from smoothing the creased area Nina had jumped in minutes ago as she waited for her reply.

"Yeah, it's my turn to feed Alexander today. It's your turn tomorrow, by the way." She told her in her sweetest smile.

"My turn? He's not even my-"

"Are you gonna get two big brothers or not?" She cut her off sneakily with that.

"Yeah but-"

"Okay then!" Cutting her big sister's complaints for the last time, the four – year – old disappeared from the room with the door open, leaving Catherine to blink at it as she tried to gather her thoughts.

After realizing what just happened, she realized that she had just let herself be ordered around by a freaking four – year – old kid who is just half her height. A scowl tugged her lips as the result of that thought.

Stupid children and their stupid dog – feeding schedules.

With that thought repeating in her mind until she reached the brothers' room at the end of the hallway, the young girl noticed that the door was cracked open, a hint of moonlight spilling out from the room to cut through the dark hallway.

Without any further thoughts, Catherine leaned quietly over the small opening, her blood red eyes squinting a little to see the two Elrics laid back on their beds, blankets covering half of their bodies.

"I'm just wondering, Brother…" She heard Al started with a soft sigh following that.

"What is it, Al?" Ed's voice followed with a tone indicating that whatever his brother will ask he will answer it with all honesty.

"If…I was that soft when I was born." Al continued in a hesitated voice. Despite to one's ignorance of the other's presence, Catherine and Ed both widened their eyes at the same time at Al's statement, although the owner of the red ones were much wider with surprise.

"I just…don't feel anything with this body. Even though I know it's there, and touch it, I can't feel it. It's warmth, softness, nothing. It's just…" The rest of the sentence was left to the air as Al gave out a sad sigh.

"I just…want to get our bodies back, Brother. I really do. I want to feel again, and be soft like Mrs. Hughes' baby." Desperation was tinted in his echoic voice, making Catherine to purse her mouth into that of a sympathetic frown.

She remembered when the first time they have met. She had cried on his shoulder, which was comforting and reassuring. Even though it seems like a long time ago, she can still remember and _feel _how warm and soft his body was.

How those warm and heartening arms wrapped about her even though she was a complete stranger to him during those times.

How his placid words make her believe that everything would be okay when during those times everything was wrong, even for just one idyllic moment.

Gentleness, innocence, comfort, determination, and kindness resided on a single body.

"Me too Al. Me too." Edward replied breathily as if he too, was also dreaming about the days when he still has his human arm and leg.

With that, it was Catherine's turn to sigh to herself as she raised herself from her bended position, lifting her hand in attempt to knock but used it to open the door fully instead.

Both brothers snapped from their laid positions, gazing at their girl companion from across the room at the open doorway.

"Dinner's ready downstairs." She greeted with her casual monotone voice.

"Hey! You still haven't explained to me how clapping your hands can cause a transmutation!" Ed reminded himself and Catherine with a straight finger pointing at the girl's direction accusingly.

"It's stew for tonight." That additional information was enough to make Ed forget about his thought and bolt up from his bed and ran from the room, downstairs to the dining area in mere seconds.

_Typical._ Catherine thought before traveling her eyes to the armor still lying on the bed, no evident endeavor to go down for dinner. "You're not joining us for dinner?" She asked.

"Nah. Can't take dinner anyway." He answered in a silky voice.

"Nina would be worried about you and bring you dinner in bed later. Same thing will happen." She pointed out.

"I'll just let Brother eat it then. He does love midnight snacks." With that clearing that Al just don't want to associate with anyone at the current moment, Catherine gave up and decided to let him be.

"Okay." She dismissed herself with that and turned to close the door, but stopped in midway, her unsaid words still itching her lips. So she turned back again, opening the door to gaze at the hunk of metal lain on the bed.

"Listen." She began, cutting Al's blank stare on the ceiling.

"Someday…you'll get your bodies back in pure flesh, blood and bones. And that someday will come anytime soon. I promise you that." She guaranteed him with piercing determination flashing through her crimson orbs that shone through the dim moonlight.

With that, Catherine closed door with a soft click that echoed through the room, leaving Alphonse to absorb what she just said. After a few moments, soft sound of a smile came out from him.

Even though it's not impossible that she just said that to make him feel better, it did make a part of him to be hopeful that that someday will come as soon as she assured it to be.

"Yeah…someday."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"So you mean through clapping my hands, I create a circle within me?" Edward asked for any clarifications.

"Yeah, it's as simple as that. By connecting your palms – she then demonstrated by clapping her hands soundlessly – you create an array at the very center of your body then letting the energy flow through your arms towards the material you want to transmute." Catherine finished her explanation then slammed a hand on the dirt ground before her, transmuting a plain spear as she stood, completing it by the time she reached her full height.

With a firm grip, she twisted the lance about her fingers before pointed the sharp edge at Edward in a dangerous close distance of mere inches, but the boy didn't tense a muscle.

"Now you try." She ordered then slammed the butt of the bludgeon against the ground. The blond alchemist nodded then inhaled a sharp intake of oxygen.

Clapping of Ed's mismatched hands filled the backyard of the Tucker estate before the boy slammed them on the ground, thinking of anything he can transmute from the components of rocks, grass, snow, and dirt.

Blue electrical lights hissed in the air as they honed the material to Ed's desire in three seconds, smoke covering the creation for a moment before it revealed the product.

A cannon reaching half Ed's height and made of shiny metal presented itself before them, its nozzle pointing forty – five degrees from the ground.

"I don't even want to know why exactly you thought of transmuting that." The red headed girl remarked as she eyed launcher.

Ed laughed to himself, "I've always wanted to make something like that!"

Going over behind the newly – transmuted cannon, the blond alchemist held up a distinctive red cord for the other two to see.

"No! Brother wa-"

Without letting Al finish, the older Elric pulled the cord with all his might and a large explosion of force came from it, flying five meters per second in the air until a loud crash of cracking brick wall sounded about fifteen meters from them.

Three young alchemists looked with innocent and wide eyes at the huge amount of debris and not to mention a rather hefty hole presented before feet away from them, giving them a peek of the people passing by it, muttering among themselves about the unusual display that wasn't there three seconds ago.

The trio stood still and silent for a few moments until two of them turned accusingly to the mastermind.

"Wrong aim, huh?" He tried sheepishly.

"You're fixing that alone." Catherine cleared; washing her hands off the crime then began to walk out of the backyard.

Ed dared to look at his armored brother for help.

"I'm going to play with Alexander." Al excused himself lamely then disappeared inside as well, completely leaving Edward alone with the muddle.

"You TRAITORS!" He shouted with his fists flailing angrily in the air.

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3 weeks and four days later

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"_Help me." She heard someone groaned; the raspy voice tingling her senses._

"_Who's there?" Catherine demanded as she spun around madly, trying to find some figure in this endless whiteness she found herself in._

_But she was alone._

_Completely alone._

"_Help me." The raggy voice grew louder but it still didn't give the girl as to where it was. It sounded like it's coming from every corner. _

"_Dammit! Show yourself!" Her stern call echoed through the endless distance of nothingness. She jerked her head to one direction as if an enemy was standing there, but she saw no one. Frustrated, she ran a hand through her crimson tresses, suddenly noticing that it's out of its usual braid._

"_Help me. Please." It pleaded wearily._

"_Tell me where you are so I can help you!" She told no one with exasperation and caution laced in her voice._

"_Big sister…help me." Her breath was suddenly hitched in her throat as she heard the deep voice's words._

_No…it couldn't possibly be…_

"_Nina?" She dared to confirm. She anticipated another jagged reply, her crimson orbs staring at the endless distance of white vividness._

_Slowly, her surroundings faded into that of a new environment, absorbing her in. "Hey! What's happening?!" She recoiled as she felt her whole being sucked into a dark laboratory of some sort._

_But her restrains soon ended when she found herself standing before a table filled with assorted flasks and papers with drawings of arrays in them._

_She blinked her eyes rapidly to see if this is just a hallucination. But once she had her vision clear again, she discovered herself standing in the foreign, dim – lit room. "Where am I?" She asked briskly to herself and turned around hastily to find a wall painted with different arrays she saw in the Gate before. _

_She studied them one by one as her mind reeled with possible functions of the alchemic circles. Her eyes darted from one circle to another, not liking the idea that starts to form in her head._

"_Why is all this…" She contemplated with horror rattling her mind._

"_These are…used for genetic fusion." She whispered to herself, droplets of sweat building up in her brows._

_The door behind her cracked opened with a noisy creak, causing the eleven – year – old to spun around madly with fearful surprise in her eyes. Crimson orbs dilated with more shock when they saw Shou Tucker making his way inside the horrid room._

"_Mr. Tucker?" She breathed her question, but made sure that it was audible to the man. Nonetheless, the older alchemist didn't acknowledge her presence._

"_What are you doing here?" She asked, taking a few steps closer to the man. To her surprise, he still didn't respond then knelt down in the floor._

"_The completion of my experiment is now." She heard him say, obviously just to himself._

"_Hey! Answer me!" She demanded angrily then took the last steps towards him, stopping dead in her tracks when she her eyes traveled to what was actually drawn on the floor._

_Catherine surveyed the circle with terror dancing in her eyes, knowing exactly what the man is going to use it for._

_Permanent fusion transmutation._

"_Daddy! Why is it so dark in here?" A familiar tiny voice echoed in the eerie laboratory, snapping Catherine's horrific gaze on the circle._

_There, by the open door, stood a four – year – old brunette with a leash held in her little hands._

"_Nina?" The girl said shakily._

"_Because light might destroy daddy's work." The man explained before a maniacal smile made its way to his face._

"_Now, did you bring Alexander with you?" He asked in awkward kindness._

"_Yes daddy! Now what do we do to help you out, daddy?" The little girl asked sweetly as she skipped her way inside the room._

"_Oh, you will be helping me a lot." Tucker replied with a raised pitch of feigned sweetness._

_Catherine looked his way incredulously. "What are you planning to do with Nina?" She sneered at him warningly. But the man was still ignorant of her presence. _

"_Answer me, you bastard!" She hollered and backed a fist away for a punch but stopped midway when she heard Nina's voice inside the lab._

"_What's that big circle you got there daddy? It's somehow look like the magic circle big sister used in making me flowers." She felt herself stiffen at the mention of 'big sister', her jaw tightening with unknown trepidation._

"_It is a magic circle. All you've got to do is step on it as long as I told you to. Now isn't that easy?" Shou purred, making Catherine's stomach to hurl in disgust._

"_Okay." Nina agreed obediently and took tiny steps towards the circle with Alexander._

"_NO! Don't go near the circle Nina!" She screamed then ran to stop the young girl. She planted herself a few feet ahead of her in attempt to block her way and somehow get her attention._

"_Hey! Brat, listen to me!" Catherine yelped at her, but the girl continued to be blind and deaf of her being._

"_Don't go near that circle! You have to get of here and try to ge-" She completely cut herself when Nina continued to ignore her, and walked pass through her. Catherine heaved loudly in terror then looked down at her lower body where Nina just penetrated through._

"_What the hell?" She said with a hitched voice as she gazed at her solid – looking stomach that Nina just came through like invisible air. _

_The red headed girl whirled around only to see the girl and her dog standing at the center of the fusion array .Tucker let out a sadistic snicker as he positioned his hands on the fine lines of the circle, which slowly lit with blue hissing lights…_

"_NOOOOO!" Catherine screamed at the very top of her lungs as she lunged forward to prevent the alchemic reaction from going any further. Time seemed to go slow for her as she watched Nina's form dissolve from the growing light, her emerald eyes gazing to hers for a brief moment in eternity before they melt away from her sight._

"_NOOOO!"_

…_._

…

_Darkness…_

_Silence…_

_Those where the only ones keeping her company; for her consciousness left her to suffer alone. _

_A drop of water echoed soundly around her, the tingling sound enough to wake her up. Lifting herself through her elbows, Catherine tried to bob her head upright, seeing nothing but pure darkness around her. _

_A low groan made its way to her ears, ringing her attention up._

"_Who's there?" She snapped out of reflex; scared red eyes scanning the void of nothingness with panic rushing through them. Then, she remembered her last encounter, worry and fear mixing her emotions._

"_Nina? Where are you?!" She called out in the darkness then moved her way to sit up, but failing to do so and just gave up to remain in her elbows._

"_Nina…" She whispered to herself, remembering how the light of Tucker's transmutation ate the innocent girl._

"_Big sister…" The raspy voice she heard earlier sounded her ears. The eleven – year – old swiveled her head around despite her difficult position in low attempt to find the voice._

_"Nina? Nina, where are you?!"_

"_Help me. Play with me. Help me…" The words repeated over and over that it stung Catherine's head, preventing her to think any clearer. _

"_Help me. Play with me. Help me…" It continued to rhyme in the darkness, trying to overpower her mind in its torturous chant._

"_Help me…"_

"_Play with me.."_

"_Help me…"_

"_Play with me.."_

"_Help me…"_

"_STOP!" She ordered with ferocity as she clutched her head in pain and anguish, the feeling of lost shaking her frame. To her surprise, the voice did stop, leaving her in fat silence and darkness. _

_She dared to peek through the darkness, her fear anticipating for more dreading voices. _

_Much to her fear, glowing red eyes darted at her form, piercing her mind and soul with blame and heightening hurt. Its emotions suddenly changed into that of a pleading one, now her eyes letting her to see that those glowing eyes belonged to some sort of a furry beast._

"_You won't help me?" It asked in a jagged voice of an animal, growling sadly. Catherine stayed frozen in her position in the ground, suddenly losing her words. All she could do was stare at those glowing blood eyes with confusion, horror, and guilt__._

"_Nina?" She asked for recognition, praying in her heart that her assumption was wrong. There was no way that monster is the sweet little Nina she knows. There was no damn way..._

_The creature growled furiously, showing its teeth in the process. "Nina? Is that you?" She asked tentatively, only making the chimera to grind its teeth all the more. It roared in reply and lunged at Catherine's form to gnaw her alive._

"AAHHHH!!!" Catherine Ederson screamed from her sleep loudly, subconsciously jolting to a sitting position. Her hands gripped tightly at the sheets in her sides, panting like she had just ran a marathon; sweat covering the sides of her face and around her neck.

Her terror – glazed eyes took moments to focus themselves on the surroundings. She was in her blue wallpapered room again, not in an imprisoning dark of nothingness. Her eyes gazed ferociously at the wall in front of the bed, fear flashing over them as her nostrils flared with left over terror.

It was just a dream?

No, it can't be dream. It was way too real to her for it to be just a stupid, figment of imagination. It was so pragmatic and consuming.

_Can it be…_ Catherine gasped, afraid to finish that thought.

"Nina." She breathed raggedly before flopping out of her bed. Marching towards the door without bothering to brush or change out of sleeping clothes, she flew the door open with rushed force then walked down the hallway, barefoot.

"Hmm…let's see here…if I were to transmute water to ice, all I need to do is-" The contemplative reading of Alphonse was cut off when heavy stomps can be heard towards his direction. He gazed up from his good book to see Catherine rallying down the hallway, a look of apprehensive terror written all over her.

"Catherine?" Al asked in a mixture of concern and curiosity. The eleven – year – old jerked to a stop with her name called, her blood red eyes blazing up on the armor with suppressed panic. He examined her for a moment, noticing that she's still in her white tank top and red shorts; her crimson locks tangled here and there.

"Where's Nina?" She asked in an obviously jittery voice, her right hand taking a grip on his left metal one.

"In the backyard I think. Why?" He was expecting a 'What's for breakfast?' or 'Mornin', tin can' that she always use to greet him during the mornings. So it was indeed very unusual for her to ask about little Nina while still clad in thin tank top and shorts.

"Bigger big brother! Have you seen my book about frogs and butterflies?!" Nina's tiny voice echoed through the whole length of the hallway. Upon hearing the voice, the eleven – year – old wrenched her way to the younger girl, pushing Al away in the process.

The armor followed her actions with anxiety, wondering around his mind of what was currently happening to her all of a sudden.

"Oh, big sister, you're awake! Breakfast's ready downstairs." She announced cheerily, a face – splitting smile cracking her tiny face. The twinkle in her eyes momentarily faded when she saw Catherine's dazed ones looking at her with relieved panic.

"Big sister?" The redheaded alchemist knelt before the brunette silently, ignoring the last comment. A cold, shaky hand then damped itself to the four – year – old's round face, its fingers lingering the soft and warm skin contrasting its chilly ones.

Another wave of relief splashed inside her as she felt herself corporal again, not some penetrable spirit like in her dream.

"Nina..." Catherine whispered weakly before pulling the child into a firm hug.

"Sister?" Nina murmured through the older girl's crimson tresses, concern laced in that two - syllable word.

"I thought you were…Oh God…" She trailed off, shaking her head as her arms tightened in a fearful grip, relief washing all over her.

She thought there for a second that her vision shown her a last – second premonition or whatever the hell books try to call those viscous pictures and dreams flashing her conscious mind.

That she was too late again.

That she let the sadistic Fate mix the events to its damn will again.

And God, was she ever so thankful that Nina was still here, smiling and beaming at her like that experience she had in her mind will not happen in the future at all.

And unlike the night with the Elric's taboo, she promised her whole soul and heart that she's going to stop this from happening.

She will save Nina and get the second chance to prove to herself that she can act upon these visions given to her by some damn higher power above there.

She's still got time, so there's no way she will fail.

"Nina? Are you ready yet?" A deep voice of a man called out across the hallway. Heavy red eyes lifted themselves to see Shou Tucker waiting at the end of the hallway near the staircase, an evil glint not failing to sparkle in his onyx eyes.

And the moment she saw the horrific vision dance across those hungry, loony eyes, she quickly realized that her second chance is already at the edge of abyss.

* * *

A/N: I really have to cut it coz it's sooo long…this is like the longest chapter I've written so far…so I'm sorry fpr that…and sorry for the errors too! :(

The next chapter may not be up in a while…but I can make sure that it will be seen before the end of May. (sorry if it's too long...i'm having a hard time on how will i write the scene when Catherine tries to stop Tucker from transmuting Nina.)

Loves to those who read and still look forward to my story! You're the ones who give me encouragement to continue! XD

Wel…reviews are welcome, especially constructive criticism! They help me improve some of my mistakes…well,somehow..*grins*


	17. Gate within part IV

A/N: Well, here's the next chapter. I tried really hard to finish it this week coz in the coming weeks, my updates will be slower than it already is. College is going to start, so I'll be a little more busy than usual DX.

And thank you for those who reviewed! You gave me so much encouragement to write more and more. XD Special thanks to **Princess dela Luna** and **Auto-Alchemechanist!** You guys are so awesome for giving this story so much support through your wonderful reviews! –happy tears-

And before you go on reading, I advancely apologize for the typos and grammatical errors. Aside from not having any beta, this chapter was quite done in a rush. –sheepish grin-

Chapter 17 - Gate within part IV

* * *

"_Nina? Are you ready yet?" A deep voice of a man called out across the hallway. Heavy red eyes lifted themselves to see Shou Tucker waiting at the end of the hallway near the staircase, an evil glint not failing to sparkle in his onyx eyes._

_And the moment she saw the horrific vision dance across those hungry, loony eyes, she quickly realized that her second chance is already at the edge of abyss._

Despite the overpowering fear that started to crawl from her heart up to rattle her mind and limbs, Catherine tightened her already firm hug around the little brunette's frame, her arms never failing to shake in the process.

Her breath became ragged as she buried her nose somewhere between Nina's neck and shoulder, trying to find some security in the little girl's form. The four-year-old tried to search her face, her emerald eyes twinkling with worry as she watched the older girl quake helplessly in her shoulder.

"Big sister?" She called out quietly at the redhead, her tiny arms slowly wrapping their way across Catherine's trembling frame. "Are you okay?" She whispered through those long curly, crimson tresses, wrinkling her nose a bit as some was sucked pass to her nostrils.

"Nina…don't…don't go." She begged like a scared child as she squeezed Nina more in her arms, afraid that she might lose her if she let go or even just loosen her grip.

"Don't leave." She ordered this time, although her voice still sounded strained and quivering.

"Nina? The car's waiting." The man standing by the stairwell called out to them. Catherine snapped her head from Nina's shoulder to glare her piercing ruby eyes at Shou Tucker. Even how the reflecting light seem to hide his eyes through those stupid spectacles, the taut line drawn in his face told her enough that her vision about him and his outrageous plan is real and most likely will happen.

She has to stop it.

She can't let it happen again.

No matter what the cost is, she can never fail again.

Not again.

"Nina, listen to me-" Before she can say any more of her sentence, Nina pulled back from her protective embrace to stare at her with big innocent eyes.

"I'm gonna be late for Lila's party and I still have to find my book. Anyway have you seen it?" She asked childishly.

"Look, Nina. Listen to big sister-"

"It's about frogs and butterflie-"

"No I haven't seen it. So li-"

"I need it in Lila's party! You have to help me find i-"

"Just forget about the damn book and listen to me first!" She hollered with frustration as she took a hold of the little girl's shoulders, jerking them and her attention.

"Cath…" Al, who hadn't spoken for minutes, decided to act on the situation and took quiet steps behind his friend.

"You can't go anywhere with your dad. You got me?" She hissed in a low voice that only the little kid could hear.

"Why?" Nina asked in a very curious manner with her head tilting to the side and her brows knitting together.

"He…" She let the incomplete sentence to hang in the air for seconds, deliberating in her mind if she'll explain the whole truth or not.

_The brat will never believe. Let alone understand it._ She answered herself mentally.

"…Just don't be such a brat and do what I say, okay?" She convinced her sternly, but it didn't smoothened the suspicious crease in the little brunette's eyebrows. Maybe she should have said that a little nicer than what it sounded.

A honk of a car echoed its way through the hallway, making Catherine to jolt her head to the nearby window to see a black car blinking its headlights under the early morning sun as it waited in the front gate for Nina.

"Nina! Mr. Fudge will leave without you if you don't go down now." Tucker's voice proclaimed as he climbed down the staircase.

"Coming daddy!" The kid replied merrily then turned to her troubled 'big sister' with concerned green eyes.

"You seem sick, big sister. You should rest. I'll make you cookies when I get back, okay?" Nina assured with a bright smile towards her as she pat her small hand atop the crown of head. She snorted with both annoyance and slight embarrassment then slapped the hand away.

"Just listen to what I say and stay here." She grounded with impatience.

"Cath, stop this." Al's hollow voice came to her behind.

"You don't understand!" She snapped at him over her shoulder as she returned to her feet. Taking the taller girl's distraction as advantage, Nina took a run for it, her pounding footsteps audible to Catherine's ears in a matter of seconds after her escape.

"Nina!" She shouted at the sprinting child, gritting her teeth in anger before charging after her trail. "Come back here you little brat!" She just ran a couple of steps when someone grabbed the back of her shirt, pulling her back with the same force she intended to use for chasing after the four- year - old.

"Let me go, Al!" She demanded ferociously as she glared daggers at him over her shoulder for a moment before turning back to scamper her way out of his hold to run after the brunette. "I said come back here Nina! Once I get you, I swear you-"

"If you're worried so much about it, Mr. Tucker isn't going with Nina. She's going to a playmate's party through Mr. Tucker's friend's car." Al said softly, which halted some of Catherine's viscous attempts to break out of his grip.

Seeing that her temper succumbed, the armor let go of her clothes' fabric and continued to stand in his ground, quietly waiting for his friend to calm her somewhat raging nerves. She gradually did as she took a deep intake of breath then slumped her tensed shoulders to relaxation. She moved her weary eyes to the window to see the black car screeched its way towards the open road.

Long, heavy silence stretched between the two as they stood still in the abandoned hallway, the armored one staring intently at the girl across him to study the weighty aura enveloping her.

"Are you okay…Cath?" Al's troubled question broke through the stiff silence, snapping her focus back to him as her blood red eyes glazed at his direction with a dull light of indifference her orbs used to carry with them.

"Yeah. I'm fine." She answered breathily then walked pass him towards the direction of her room, deciding to change into some proper clothes when she noticed herself still clad in baggy shirt and tight shorts.

"Why don't you want Nina to come anywhere with her father?" The young alchemist stopped dead in her tracks at the question asked. So he heard her? She thought she just whispered it to Nina.

_Of course he'll hear it. He's just right behind me._ She mused mockingly inside her mind.

She turned her head to look at the window, watching the scenery of melting snow and green leaves poking from the frost - blanketed trees from the glass, instead of acknowledging her eyes to the boy talking to her from behind. She can feel his hardening gaze in her back as he waited for her to answer.

"It's nothing." The redhead girl replied as coldly as the snow behind the windowpane, her eyes drifting down to the floor to study the carved lines of the wood. Believing that she satisfied him with the answer given, though not elaborative, she started to return on her way.

"Nothing? Nothing, Cath?" Catherine again halted her legs when she heard the tone of his voice. The tone that tells her that her lying mask is no longer hiding her.

"Yes, nothing." She continued with her lies to no avail, ignoring the fact that Alphonse wanted the real, truthful answer from her.

"What's going on, Cath? Even if you go on forever telling me that there's nothing anyone can notice that there is something. There is always something when you say nothing so just…" He paused, the hint of assertiveness sticking in his voice.

"Just tell me. It's way easier than lying." He finished, one of his gloved hands clutching into a ball.

Closing her eyes to contemplate an answer, Catherine let out a long, heavy sigh. She hated explaining things. It's a very tiring thing especially when you're not believed. It'll just be wasted if you'll not be alleged in the end.

Opening her lids again, she gazed hardly on the space before her. "Trust me. Telling you will just be a waste of time." She finally answered.

"Just a waste of time? What are you- Just tell me what's going on, Cath so I can help you. I know you need some help." He pleaded, which was answered by a silent back from the girl across him.

"Don't you trust me?" He pressed, the question he had held within him for a while now coming out in the air for her to answer.

A snort of bitter chuckle escaped her lips when she heard his ironic words.

_Trust him?_ She had to suppress a laugh from that.

Throwing her head over one of her shoulders, her ruby orbs narrowed their way to his glowing ones, irk dancing across them. "I should have asked you that one year ago." She spat with venom disguising itself in the undertone, but her eyes didn't hide anything from Al. Her eyes were so full of emotions that he didn't know how to respond to them.

_Catherine…_His mind reacted for him, his red glowing eyes twinkling with bewilderment.

With that said, she turned her back completely from him and stomped to her room, leaving her statement to bounce around the armor's mind.

He'll never understand, let alone believe her.

She had already learned that the first time she met these idiot brothers.

Telling and convincing them will just be a complete waste of time, so it'll be better for her to do it alone.

_Besides…_She started to think, remembering the armor hunched on the floor with a bloody, eleven – year – old boy, in his arms, his glowing eyes pleading hers for aide.

_I don't need any help from people who don't believe me._

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Night blanketed Central City and yet the Ed and Al are still raveling their minds to more books they can possibly read like there's no tomorrow. Well, there is no tomorrow, for the state exam is already as close as tomorrow morning.

The door to the study room creaked open, revealing Shou Tucker who stood outside the room. "Boys, I want to talk to you…about the exam tomorrow." He said to them as he held the door open. Blinking at the request, the brothers looked at each other, exchanging invincible nods to one another before standing up from the mounts of books they manage to accumulate in their laps and sides.

After setting themselves in the living room's neat sofa, Edward leaned himself through his elbows, resting them on his thighs with his attention completely lain out for the man before them.

"What about the test, Mr. Tucker?" The young alchemist started.

"I want you to know the parts of the test. So you'll have a preview of how the exam goes." The two nodded in unison as they listened.

""There are three parts of the test – the written exam, interview exam, and the practical exam." Edward perked up at the last part.

"Practical exam?" He repeated, startled.

"Yes. This is the most important. This is where you show your skills as an alchemist in front of a few panels of higher ups in the state. The Fuhrer is always one of them."

"The Fuhrer will be watching, too?" Al squeaked, starting to feel nervous after that being cleared with a nod from Tucker.

"I believe so. Anyway, the other two parts are obviously self-explanatory. As for the interview, they'll only ask you about yourself and your perspectives about alchemy and how you'll contribute to the country with it."

Three hours had passed after Mr. Tucker's talk about the state exam, and that means three hours of fidgeting and apprehension had already passed for the Elric brothers as they sat in their beds, thinking silently of the same thing –

"What can we possibly pull off to impress the panel?" Ed began, successfully voicing out their minds' exact words.

"But you don't have a problem about that, Brother. I mean, you can transmute without circles. It's not something that any alchemist can do." The armor declared.

Thinking that one over, the older sibling nodded in agreement. "You're probably right about that but-"

"You'll surely pass the practical exam, Brother! So…" Al paused, feeling his hallow voice quiver.

"…so I need to learn how to do it, too, Brother! So we can pass together!" The armor proclaimed with determination lacing his voice as he raised his gauntlet fist in the air.

Edward smiled at him, feeling a little glad that somehow, they can still see their situation in a bright and strong way. Splitting his smile into a grin of his own, Ed stood from his seat on the bed, his hands on his hips and his golden eyes flowing with stronger demeanor than before.

"That's the spirit! Now let's see how far you've gone with this question…" Then a book with book marks sticking out on its top popped from the alchemist's hands, the page of his chosen question already flipped for him to read.

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At the Hughes'

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"Oh! Look at this one! This is when Elicia had her first bath! Isn't she the most adorable creature you've ever seen?!" A man of twenty-eight years chirped in a high tone Catherine never knew a man could have as he forcefully shoved another picture frame to her face.

It's like what, the fiftieth picture?

"Right…" She answered dryly as she tried to dodge another picture ready to ambush in front of her, but like in all the attempts she tried in the last hour, she was defeated yet again as she stared crossed – eyed at a fresh picture of Mr. Hughes dancing his one month old daughter to sleep. "How about this one? Doesn't it make you envy me for having such a cute baby?"

"Mr. Hughes, could you just answer my question I asked like an hour ago?" She asked as she pushed the flooding pictures to her sides, a taut smile of shortening patience plastered on her face. This is just taking ridiculously long and those baby pictures are starting to take its aftereffect as it flashes an endless slideshow in her eyes.

"Question? I thought you came by to see my beautiful daughter Elicia. But since she's with her mother in the clinic, you agreed to just see her in these pictures." Hughes answered as he waved another fifty of Elicia's solo pictures in her face.

The redhead alchemist can't help but to sweatdrop.

_Who in the hell would agree to this kind of torture? _She screamed inwardly as she felt her cheek twitch in suppressed aggravation. Cutting the curtain of photographs, Catherine presented a very stiff smile of growing intolerance that only a goof would miss.

"Would you just answer my question earlier so I can just go now?" She grounded through her gritted teeth as she continued to smile forcefully, her hands continuing to push the rushing photos to her sides.

Apparently, Hughes was an official goof.

"About how Elicia climbed her first stair? I would love to!" The obsessed father declared, punching a full arm towards the ceiling energetically.

The eleven – year – old hung her head in exasperation and defeat. "He actually forgot about it." She muttered to herself with tired trounce.

"Honey!" Two heads jerked towards the hallway of rooms to see a frowning Mrs. Gracia Hughes, her hands on her hips as she glared at her husband in a reprimanding way.

"Stop using your crazy pictures and answer her question!" The woman scolded as she approached the living room.

"Honey! When did you get home? Where's my darling Elicia?" Hughes sang excitedly as he wiggled his arms in the air in an act of asking his baby girl in his arms.

"She's upstairs sleeping." Gracia replied as she reached the sofa, putting her arms in her waist as she glowered at the man under her. "Give me those." She ordered as she snatched the mountain of pictures from the man's hands.

"I'll confiscate these and won't give it back until you acknowledge Catherine's question."

"Honey!" Her husband whined.

"Talk to her first!" With that final command, the woman disappeared upstairs with Maes' pictures. Catherine let out a relived sigh as Hughes gave out a disappointed one. He wanted her to see his baby on her first tiny shoes!

Rubbing his temple to soothe a fake headache, the soldier turned to the young girl across him. "So, what do you need again?" Catherine straightened her back up at the now serious business tone, her hands curling in her lap.

"I just want to ask you about Mr. Tucker. About how he got his assessment two years ago. Did anything happen in those times?" She asked with a firm voice. She had heard Roy Mustang report them about the Sewing Life Alchemist's talking chimera that gained him a 'passed' in his state assessment two years ago.

"What do you mean by "Anything"?" Maes questioned, a bit confused and suspicious.

"Anything...interesting? I'm just a little curious is all." She laughed nervously as she felt her sweat gather around the base of her neck.

The Major furrowed his brows as he recalled some of the files regarding Tucker two years ago. "Nothing that I can remember. All I know that is considered 'interesting' is the talking chimera Mr. Tucker created only said a couple of words before it died."

"It died?" She repeated in interest as she leaned forward from her seat. She definitely didn't hear this bit of information from the Flame guy.

"I want to die." Her red orbs widened at the words, a puzzle of a horrid conclusion forming in her mind.

"Those were its last words before it died." Hughes supplied as he inclined his back to the soft cushion of the sofa.

Catherine balled her hands into tight fists, her angry eyes blazing its fury at her reflection on the coffee table. So the bastard used another human to pass his assessment years ago. And to pass this year's evaluation, he'll use Nina, his own daughter!

Rage flared through her veins as her hatred for the man grew ten folds.

Not only that he'll use Nina in his petty experiments, he already did it to a living human in the past.

But who could it be?

If he's planning to use Nina now, then who could he possibly used two years ago? As far as she knows, Nina is an only child. And Tucker didn't have any relatives he knew whatsoever. So, the possibility of using a relative is crossed out.

That means he kidnapped any person he snares and fused them to any animal he had.

_How unacceptable._ She said in her mind as it reeled with vehemence for the thought of the loony bastard.

_I wonder how his wife would react- _She let her words hang in her mind, too afraid to finish it as everything connected together faster than her to finish that sentence.

"Mr. Hughes." She hissed, feeling her throat starting to dry.

"Yes? Anything else you wanted to know?" He offered as he opened himself for more questions.

"Where…is Mr. Tucker's wife? I…haven't seen her since we arrived at the estate." She dared to questioned thought in the depth of her mind she knew the answer pretty well. She just needed to make sure. Maybe she's just being a little more paranoid than she shou-

"She was only seen two years ago. Mr. Tucker said that she had gone back to a work in another city after her quick visit. After that no one had seen-" Maes cut himself off when he noticed the young girl's face turned awfully pale, beads of sweat gathering at the sides of her face.

"Catherine? Are you okay?" The man asked worriedly, his topaz eyes gazing at redhead girl with anxiety as she gasped sharply.

"I'm fine." She replied, but the man's hardening gaze said it wasn't convincing.

"Why are you asking me these things anyway?" He realized with a tint of notion in his voice. "You could've asked Mr. Tucker himself, 'ya know."

Her body went rigid as the head of the Investigation Team leered at her in a studious manner, as of only looking at her will do the cracking. "I…uh…" _He's gonna find out! Think of something!_

"…kinda shy with Mr. Tucker and he's quite busy with his studies for the assessment and all so…I think it's a better thing to ask you instead. Besides, I really want to visit Elicia. To see how she's doing and everything." She scrambled with her lies as a toothy grin formed in her face, praying to any higher form of life out there to make him buy it somehow.

But the man stayed silent, his intent look making Catherine sweat in every passing second. _I'm screwed!_

The soldier's suspicious gaze then shifted to a shining one in a matter of two seconds, blinding bright smile stretched in his bearded face as he leaned forward and grabbed Catherine's hands from across the coffee table.

"PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME HERE!" He announced with overwhelming joy that made Catherine uncomfortably stiff from any movements, her crimson eyes wide as they stare at Hughes creepily glittering ones with mixed apprehension and astonishment.

Even though she's glad that he miraculously bought her lie, but as the head of the Amestris' Investigation Team, she can help but think…

_He actually fell for that?_

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March 12, 1911 (This date is purely invented, so don't take it as fact, m'kay?)

The Day of the Annual State Alchemist Examination.

Every alchemist who pursued to join the State Body lining up in front of a white, tall building supported by elegantly carved pillars, also known as the Central Headquarters for the first part – Written exam.

Some are nervous if they'll manage to pass. Some are confident that they'll get through this without any trouble at all.

But for the Elric brothers, they seem to have both feelings as they stared up at the massive building filled with all the glory and power, their mouths slightly opening.

"This is really it, Al. The State Exam." Ed said airily as he gazed at the structure that held their first challenge to get their bodies back.

"I'm kinda nervous, Brother." Al admitted, his hands clasping to his front in agitation, a manner he seemed to develop to express his apprehension.

The older of the two shifted his agreeing gaze on the tall suit of armor, frowning slightly. "Yeah. Even thought we studied really hard, it still seems that the exam will really be tough on us."

"Don't worry, Brothers! This will help you!" The two turned to see little Nina beaming up at them through her large, fluffy scarf. "Here!" In her hands, she presented them a drawing of a wiggly alchemy circle scratched across the thin sheet of paper.

"It's a magic circle! Big sister said it could do anything you want. Maybe it'll help you pass!" She said to them cheerily as Ed took it his gloved hands.

"Thanks, Nina." He said with a small smile then patted the crown of the kid's head with affection.

"That'll surely help, Nina." Al added with appreciation as he stroked Nina's chocolate locks in his large hands, wondering in the back of his mind as to where Catherine could be.

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A young boy with a brown hat thrown over his head peeked his head by the edge of a building's wall. His scrutinizing red eyes watched a man three meters away from him as he fished a pair of keys from his pocket.

Seeing that Tucker already opened the what look like to be a laboratory's entrance by them, the young boy of eleven years made his way to a nearer hiding wall, peeking his head again to squint a look on the inside of the edifice. He only got a look of the messy boxes scattered inside when the doors already shut themselves closed, the notable click of the lock audible to the boy's ears.

"Dammit." He hissed, his voice mismatching his, or would rather be, _her_, current identity. Arranging the collar of her _borrowed_ polo shirt in frustration, Catherine Ederson sprinted her way to the wide doors of the basement, stopping at its front to glare at it with furious eyes.

Blast the damn thing with alchemy will be the easiest way in. But of course, that will blow her cover as well. Searching the place with narrowed eyes for moments, she decided to go around the back of the building.

Glaring at the blank wall as she did with the front entrance, the young alchemist clapped her hands then slammed them to the hard cold wall. Seconds later, blue eliciting light emerged from her hands to hone a perfectly shaped hole in the wall.

After entering through it, Catherine silently clapped her hands this time and transmuted the wall back to normal. Looking around her surroundings, she found herself inside a dark hallway, only the light spilling from the poorly tinted windows cutting through the blackness.

"Now where is he…" She whispered to no one particular, securing her hidden hair in the brown cap once more before making her way through the old tiles of the hall, her steps echoic and cautious. She stopped after a few moments, swearing that she heard another pair of footsteps near her way.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._ Confirming her senses, the girl swiftly concealed herself behind a wall, just in time when Tucker passed by the hallway.

Hearing that he's already far enough, the disguised alchemist sighed quietly in relief. Going back to her mission, she took moderate steps to another way away from the Sewing Life Alchemist's direction.

She has to stop him even before his preparations. That way she's sure she'll completely destroy his plans in no time.

A hollow sound of emptiness sounded from under Catherine, halting her from her tracks to check out what she had stepped on. Kneeling down to get a better view through the lack of lighting, she discovered that it's a wooden trap door. After feeling her hands for the handle, she found a grip on it and pulled with all the force she could muster.

But it didn't move a bit.

Taking a minute break to gather some more strength, the girl gave it another shot and pulled the passage door up with all the will to open it, some veins threatening to pop out of her neck as she neared her limit.

She huffed in defeat when it didn't budge a bit after all the sweat she let out in opening the damn thing. "It's jammed." She concluded, irritated. Clapping her hands as silently as possible, she placed them on the closed passage and transmuted another perfect hole with it.

Squinting her crimson eyes through the darkness, her sight made out a staircase leading its way to an underground basement. Grinning to herself, she climbed down the dusty stairs, her hands feeling her way to the dirty, ragged walls beside her.

When she reached the end of the stairwell, a metal door with a 'DANGER' sign hanging in it greeted her within the enclosed space, rusts and scratches decorating its surface.

Raising her knuckles, she tapped them on the old door, easily distinguishing its poor durability in its mere sound. Taking a good stance in the small space, she lifted a foot in the air and kicked the rickety door with so much force than the door could handle, causing it to stumble back from her way with a loud thud against the cement floor.

Stepping her way in, Catherine studied the atmosphere the room held; scanning her observant eyes through the paint – tainted tables filled with flasks and opened books. Roaming around for more, she couldn't miss the massive writings on every inch of the walls.

Already getting tired of the darkness getting her way, she searched around the room for something useful to become her light. Spotting a used oil lamp peeking from the enormous stacks of books, the young alchemist picked it up. A flash of alchemic reaction filled the room in seconds as Catherine renewed the oil with alchemy and transmuting the broken switch as well.

Turning the fixed lamp, yellow light fought the imprisoning darkness. Catherine started to move around, hovering the only light she had towards the drawings sketched in the walls.

Largely drawn triangles and twisting lines revealed themselves from the blanketing darkness, with words in foreign language only alchemists could understand written within the edges.

"I got you now." She muttered to herself, her lips curving into a stiff line.

"You do know you just trespassed a state – owned property, right? Little boy?" Hearing the familiar baritone voice, the disguised child twirled around hastily to face Tucker's deeply frowning face, the light on his lamp completely tinting his glasses.

"Yeah, I'm completely aware of that. Mr. Tucker." She spat at him from across the room, the fire in her eyes amplified by the dim light dancing in them.

Shou Tucker shot his eyebrows up to his hairline as he immediately recognized the pitchy, female voice behind the boyish figure. As if to confirm, a strand of red hair slid from the confinement of the cap.

"Ms. Catherine?" He asked, unsure.

"Why? Surprised?" She replied with a cocky quirk in the side of her lips.

"I know who you are Tucker. I know what you did before." Onyx eyes widened behind those broad spectacles, his mouth hanging open in shock. Is this brat talking about what he thinks it is?

"And I know what you'll do next to pass that stupid assessment." She added as she notably narrowed her gaze at him, her teeth grounding together just at the sight of him.

The frown on his face turned upside down unexpectedly, taking Catherine slightly a back. The smirk then turned into a sadistic laughter that confused the girl terribly.

"What's so damn funny, you bastard?" She said, annoyed.

"I think we have a misunderstanding here, Ms. Ederson. I-"

"I know everything Tucker. You're the Sewing Life Alchemist, regarded with excellence for his incredible talking chimera he made two years ago, who had his wife lost mysteriously and coincidently during those achieving times." Catherine began, taking a few steps towards the older alchemist.

"Or wasn't it really coincidence, Mr. Tucker?" The man didn't reply as he continued to stare down at the kid, deliberating if he'll continue to listen to a brat like her.

"I think we both know that it isn't, right? And now that the evaluation is there to put your title in the line again, you plan to use your own daughter next, right?" She continued, stomping a vehement foot towards him.

"Right? You bastard from hell?!" She hollered at him furiously, grabbing a violent hold of his collar.

Instead of pulling away like she expected him to, the Sewing Life Alchemist let out another set of maniacal cackle, heating up the angry redhead the more. Shaking the taller man vigorously before pulling him down to her height, she pierced his loathsome face with fiery orbs of fire, her teeth grinding against each other.

"Is turning your own child into a chimera that hilarious? YOU DAMN SON OF A BITCH!" She yelled at his face with such ferocity of a wild animal.

His laugh died down into chuckles after that, the smile not leaving his face as his hand crawled to his pocket. "I've always hated…meddling brats like you." Just after he said that, a small remote control appeared in his hand. Pressing the single red button, a loud ding beeped from behind her, smoke emerging from whatever Tucker just activated.

Turning her head around slowly, she saw the smoke slowly fade away, making her see the glowing red eyes of a growling chimera, its teeth wet and sticky with rabbis saliva.

_Those eyes…_

An ear – piercing roar filled the room as the wild beast lunged after Catherine. The young alchemist threw Tucker out of the way and rolled head over heels away from the monster, dodging its deathly claws in the last second.

Once she regained her footing, the young girl clapped her hands then slammed them on the filthy floor, transmuting a long spear from it. Twisting it in her fingers, she held the weapon in place and took a fighting stance. Before she could even set a focus on the monster, it already took its chance and charge at her, taking her off guard as she fell backwards to the ground with the chimera atop of her, causing her hat to fall from her head, letting her long crimson locks to scatter everywhere.

It roared down at her and was about to smack his sharp fangs to her face when she blocked it with her bludgeon, placing her stick in between its canines as she engaged a battle with its hungry mouth.

"Say hello to one of my creations, Ms. Ederson." Tucker said from behind the chimera, the tone of his voice victorious as he watched her struggle.

Catherine scowled from under the furry animal, slowly gaining the upper hand as she pushed its pointy teeth away from her gradually, letting her to at least sit while battling with the fiery beast. "I'd rather say goodbye." With that she let out a shout and kicked the white – furred chimera a good feet away from her before slashing her spear against its throat.

Blood.

It spluttered everywhere. In her face. In her hair. In her clothes. In her hands. In her legs. It's everywhere. Its vile color decorating everywhere her eyes look.

She felt her own ran cold as she sat there, watching the monster who almost slaughtered her alive dying slowly in her strike of wrath. Its eyes, looking at her shock- - widened ones with weakness.

And hate.

The hate that managed to stay in those glowing eyes even though its life was already long gone.

It made her stomach lurch with powerful, consuming fear pumping in her veins. The lethal weapon slipped from her numb, quivering fingers, the clanging sound of metal against cement filling the secluded room.

Her throat ran dry and her body began to quiver as more crimson liquid ooze from the wound she made, but its eyes. Its lifeless eyes continued to haunt her that it made her gasp sharply from pure horror.

She started to back paddle away from it, like doing it will take her away from the fear and stabbing guilt absorbing her.

"_You won't help me?" _Nina the chimera's raspy voice of pleading echoed in her mind, making the girl to lose it as her crimson eyes shrunk its color.

A glass – shattering, terror – stricken scream of horrid fear filled every corner of the empty, quiet, old basement.

* * *

A/N: Okay this scene with Nina Tucker is taking way too long, hasn't it? Hehe, sorry about that. It's just that the scene with Nina is one of the most emotional moments FMA has and in order to incorporate Catherine more in the plot line, I need to elaborate things and twist some a bit. I hope you all are okay with that. –sheepish grin-

I promise the next chapter will be the last one for this part of FMA! It'll be a lil emotional and angsty so it's goin' to be tougher to write. Might take a couple of weeks to update.

Anyway I hop this chapter isn't that bad. I did it in a rush so I won't be surprised if many of you will complain about too many errors and typos. But don't be afraid to tell me if you spotted some mistakes. It'll help me if I find some time to edit this in the future. X)

Well…I hope you''ll read and review! XD


	18. Vulnerable

A/N: Oh my gosh after a long, dreadful time, I'm back!!! It's my one week term break so I've got nothing to do so I've decided to finally post this story's next chapter! I mean, wow, look at the reviews, they've suddenly multiplied, haven't they?

That's because of my two best friends in this site:

**Princess dela Luna: **who always check up on me and see how I'm doing and also emailed a lot of people in this site to read my story. Thanks dude. This chapter is again, dedicated to you. Plus a virtual hug and cake from me of course.

**Auto-alchemecanist: **who also helped this story to have more readers and reviewed this story so much. Thank you friend. I promise to read your story "In Love: Positive" soon. Oh I've missed that story. Here's also your virtual teddy bear and my virtual hug!!! –grins-

And oh, this chapter is also dedicated to a really cool, awesome reviewer of mine: **ramwriter15**! You reviewed so much in this story and your one of the people who inspired me to write this chapter so here's a virtual cake for an additional gift of gratitude.

And one more thing before you guys go reading, this chapter has borrowed a song from my most favorite band in the world(technically it's not a band coz it only has one member, oh well), guys give your hands to _Secondhand Serenade. _And the song? Find out by reading below. –snickers-

Well, here goes nothing…

Chapter 18 - Vulnerable

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"Brother!" Al cried, his pounding metal footsteps trying to even up with his older brother's hasty ones as they crossed a busy block of Central City.

Edward, already being called ten times by his armored brother, continued to go deaf and even walked faster towards the way to the test's interview's venue – Central Headquarters. He only got fifteen minutes left and the white building is still ten blocks away.

"Brother!" The younger of the two called for the eleventh time, the patience slowly fading in his echoic voice. When another silent back was yet again given to him as an answer, Alphonse had had it and he grabbed a hold of the back of Ed's red trench coat then pulled him in a deserted alley they conveniently passed by.

"Al!" Edward cried out this time, repositioning his deranged jacket that Al had kindly almost ripped off of him.

"Brother, you know pretty well that I won't allow this from happening. We've already made it clear that we're going to do this together. What happened to that all of a sudden?!" Al shouted which Ed flinched at. He was not used to hearing his calm, gentle brother yell like that.

"Didn't you hear what the Colonel said?!" The seven- foot armor backed away from that retort, still contemplating for the next defiant answer as that moment played in his mind yet again.

"_Alphonse, I advise you to back down the examination." The onyx-haired soldier said flatly with his back facing the two children's shocked expressions. _

"_Colonel?! Why all of a sudden?" Alphonse asked, obviously taken aback by how coolly he suggested that._

"_That armor is empty, isn't it?" Two pair of eyes glowed with full- blown bewilderment. How did the Colonel-_

"_If the military knew about this, they will surely take Alphonse away to a laboratory and experiment on him for years. That soul attachment you made there is exceptional." With this more silence stretched between the two brothers. After a few moments, Ed dared to raise his hard golden eyes to meet his soon – to-be-commander's cold back._

"_Did you tell the military about this…sir?" Ed asked curtly, almost vomiting out the last word. The twelve-year-old's system already learned that politeness and Mustang don't stick that well.._

"_Of course not, Edward. If I did, Alphonse here should already been caged up like a lab rat in one of laboratories up North." Roy replied with a furtive smile as he slowly turned to face the two. _

_Edward can tell it was an implied warning, or more like a threat._

"_If that's the case, then you have my deepest gratitude, sir." Alphonse snapped his clanky helmet at his brother's sudden unnatural courtesy over the situation. _

"_Brother?!" He shrieked unbelievably. "You can't possibly be agreeing to this!"_

"_We have no choice, Al. The Colonel has a point. The military has not seen any successful soul attachments for decades. If they discovered your identity, they will surely take you away. " Edward answered grimly as his molten eyes gazed at the cobble ground._

"_But-" _

"_Enough, Al! Thank you for the advice Colonel. We will follow it. "_

Alphonse was cut speechless as he remembered those events, making his brother to make his point just by that.

"But we've already agreed to do this together, Brother! It's not fair to be just y-"

"I won't take the risk to lose you again, Al!" Edward screamed with annoyed fury this time, bewildering his tall, armored brother.

"I just can't, Al. Didn't I tell you that before?" The blonde boy asked grimly, the tiredness in his young eyes glowing for the first time since they started this journey.

"But it's not fair for you, Brother. It's like you're taking the whole responsibility by doing this." Al reasoned out with his gauntlet hands clutching in front of him.

"No, it's not. It's fair enough, after all, it's me who foolishly suggested-"

"I told you! It's not your fault! It's _ours _to bear. Stupid brother!" Al yelled in frustration as he tried to hold his fist from connecting to Ed's ever-thick skull. Normally, a loud, angry scolding would come out from the older for Al's disrespect for his older brother, which Al was ready for,

But an exhausted, dry smile came from Ed instead, his eyes suddenly growing older than Grandma Pinako's.

"Besides Al, one of us is enough to take the shame of being the dog of the military. And considering the circumstances, it'll be best if it'd be me."

"But Broth-"

"I'm going to be late, Al. I'll see you at the Tucker's." With that, Edward Elric left with a dismissive wave he usually do to end a conversation he doesn't like, leaving Alphonse to watch his back join among the busy lines of city people.

Times like this, really remind Al, that Edward is really the older one of them.

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Heavy pants of breath escaped Catherine's mouth as she felt her throat ran dry from the continuous terrified screams she produced earlier. Now, she can't make any sound but the heavy gasps she recognized as her breathing.

Her lungs felt like it's constricting into a small tight ball and can't get enough oxygen for her fuzzy mind to function. Sweat beads began to gather around her face and neck as some traveled down to tickle her dribbling chest.

She was paralyzed in her place on the floor and the dead, staring eyes of the white furred monster before her didn't give any calming effect. In fact, it's making it worse as she felt her consciousness fading just by its blood's putrid smell.

The red-eyed girl gritted her teeth as she tried to suppress the screams that her throat can't surely put up with when a loud, painful ring sounded at the back of her skull, completely stealing away the last of her awareness as her limp form fell face-first on the cold tiled floor.

"Kids." Tucker's sneer came from behind the knocked off child, his eyes blazing down at the body sadistically as his right hand held a blood –stained metal pole.

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Gold-painted doors with intricate lines and patterns carved in their surface greeted Edward with demeaning height that made him feel more of a kid lost inside this humongous building rather than an alchemist ready to take the interview.

His thoughts and words were strong-willed and determined in the past months, letting him gather enough courage to stand at his present floor, but as the seconds ticked by, he can feel that hard-gained valor slowly draining from him.

_Calm down, Edward. You can do this. You must do this. _He encouraged himself. The intimidating door creaked open with the head of the guarding soldier poking out of it. "Next!" Edward almost jumped from his standing as he realized that it's already his turn.

Taking a huge gulp, the twelve-year-old blond tried to remember how to walk without tripping as he take one foot in front of the other. He was too preoccupied in that that he barely noticed that he was already facing at least a dozen of Generals and Colonels sitting before him, speculative stares thrown right at him.

"State your name." A bald man, with hard squinted eyes and a goatee hanging under his nose took the first question, his glance at the child from the left panel as cold as stone.

"Edward Elric, sir." Ed answered with all the confidence he could muster at that moment, his gaze mimicking that of molten gold.

"Ah, the recommended examinee of General Haruko. He told me that you saved a whole train from a barbarian named Barud." A man of sixties, his chopped hair already gone all white, stated from one of the top right panels. _He must be one of the higher ups, _Ed guessed as noted that the Fuhrer is only a few seats from him.

"And he's barely a teen." With that added, a wave of murmured whispers filled the large room. Edward can sense a number of dubious glares stabbed at him. Not all of them are happy about a child taking their precious, prestigious exam.

"Silence." Every sound came to a halt at that single-word command of the Fuhrer King, his un-patched eye leering at him in an intimidating way. With a snap of his fingers, the thick velvet curtains blocking sunlight from entering the dark room split open, allowing bright yellowish light to spill on the center of the room.

Removing the arm that Ed used as a shield from the sudden brightness, his eyes moved curiously as they saw a golden, two-legged chair standing with all it's might as it defied gravity. He didn't notice it earlier. From the way the pair of thin golden legs twirled to each other, a weight of a feather can easily topple the chair over.

"If you're really an alchemist, balance is a natural effort." King Bradley said with the same glint in his eyes. "Take a seat." He offered like a friendly man giving a cup of tea to his long -lived friend, the sudden sincerity stumbling Ed's balance to stand.

Passing the feeling to call him a senile old bat, Edward braced his shoulders and, calculating the angle and width of the seat as he walked towards it for two seconds, the blond put his weight on the right corners and sat on the golden seat of balance, his gloved hands gripping on his knees.

The smile on the Fuhrer's lips widened even more.

"Very good." He praised, and more squinting of eyes were offered to him.

"Now tell me, why do you want to want to serve the military?" The question was so simple, but the answer that was swirling in Ed's mind weighed all his sins.

He was joining the state to compensate his sins.

He was joining the military because…because…

"Because I made a promise." The words left his mouth with such solidity that it pushed even the Fuhrer an inch back.

Raising his bowed head to gaze those hard, pragmatic golden orbs, all shyness and nervousness washed away, Ed gripped his hands tighter around the fabric of his pants and continued, "I made a promise to someone that I will pass this test and become a soldier."

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"Hey, Nina? Have you seen big sister? She's been gone since yesterday." A kneeling Al asked Nina ready to approach the door with Alexander's leash on her hand, prepared to go for a stroll.

A lonely smile tugged the little brunette's lips. "No, she hasn't come home yet. She said that she'll just be gone for a while and be back for dinner, but…" The four-year-old can't help but to trail of sadly, her eyes casted downwards.

Al sighed heavily, the memory of their last talk coming back to him…

"_Trust me. Telling you will just be a waste of time._"

"_I should have asked you that one year ago. _

Standing up to his feet, the young Elric proceeded to the door, his fists clenched. He knew it, he knew something was up! Yet, he let it pass by and now Catherine's gone missing.

And knowing her, she's probably in trouble.

Well, Al still hopes that she's not.

"Oh you know big sister!" Stopping from his tracks, he turned half of his huge body to Nina, who was smiling brightly at him with twinkling eyes.

"She's just wandering off somewhere just to sneak off her turn in feeding Alexander!" No matter how the kindred girl make it sound to cheerful, the traces of worry was still evident in her innocent features.

Al laughed softly at her. "Yeah. You're probably right." With that he was off to fetch his brother.

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Practical examination was starting.

And Edward Elric was pissed off.

Totally pissed off.

And without Al, no one's going to stop him.

With the announcement give, alchemists of all kinds were gathered within the wide green yard of the state located at the back of the main building. But even though almost all the remaining candidates were distinguishable from one another, Edward still stood up the most. Why? There are three reasons.

One, he was obviously too young to even pass as a teen, not to mention his height can't possibly pass for one.

Two, he's wearing a red trench coat with a flamel's insignia on the back, not easy to ignore even from afar.

And three, he was having a staring battle with a man of thirties with sandy brown hair and flashy blue sunglasses hanging below his eyes.

Pulling his lips to show his grinded teeth for a sneer, Edward grounded, "You should say sorry, you know."

"You're on the way, punk. Move aside if you don't want me to push you again." The man taunted, his blue eyes glowering down at his brave gold ones.

"Not until you say your apologies. That dirtied my gloves, and these were my last ones." The twelve-year-old blond spat back, shoving his dirt-smudged gloves into the man's face. Slapping the Ed's filthy hands, he grabbed a hold of his jacket then jerked him an inch high from the ground.

"Why you little squirt! You aren't even supposed to be here! What are you, like ten?" The aura surrounding Ed grew dark and heavy, the short – temper of his thoroughly stretched. Holding his automail hand tightly around the man's offending hand, Ed said in a low dangerous voice, "I suggest you…to let go, as fast as you can." He can't beat the daylights out of this guy, not with the exam going on, or he'll surely be disqualified.

Now he wished Al was here to lift him off this guy, because there was no way he was letting someone who called him a squirt in public get away. But the exam comes first-

His thoughts were abruptly cut off when the brown-haired guy laughed with his head thrown backwards to emphasize his mocking amusement.

"Is that a threat?" He cackled. "Hey everybody! A pipsqueak jus- AUGGHH!" His taunting was turned into a howl of pain when he felt the bones of his forearm began to break. Throwing the arm off him, Ed lost all his senses as the word 'pipsqueak' echoed in and out of his ears. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING PIPSQUEAK YOU FREAK! WHO THE HELL IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WEARS BLUE GLASSES ANYWAY?!", He ranted in a single breath.

Pushing his glasses up to his nose consciously, the man turned red in anger and embarrassment. "None of your business, punk." Edward simply growled and glared at him as he felt the calmness coming back after his yell, but the annoyance in his eyes didn't die out a bit.

Several of the candidates had already formed a circle around them as they watched the two try to blaze each other out with dark looks, too absorbed to notice the growing number of their audience.

"Hey! No fighting over there!" A soldier assisting the program called from the building doors, instantly drawing their spectators away in fear to get involved. Putting the matter of disqualification if they continue, both Ed and the sunglasses man broke away from their battle, hastily turning away from each other.

"After this, we'll continue." Ed said sternly. The man laughed.

"You have some guts, kid. But guts is not enough to pass this exam. You're not even suppose to be here taking it. This is not for children like you, so scram while you have the chance." He answered in a cold, icy voice that made Ed twirl back to face him angrily.

"Welcome to all of you." Hearing the Fuhrer's voice, forcing Ed to perk around and listen like the others.

"This is the last part of the State's yearly examination. I congratulate you all for coming this far, but as you all must know, this part, is the hardest to pass." Edward squinted his eyes at that.

"As you can see at your right, the materials you might need are provided for you, so you can be as creative as you can." The King continued, showing the candidates the trees, a gigantic iceberg as big as house, and a mountain of rock and black soil piled in a line to their right.

"Remember, you must aim to impress the panel as best as you can. You may begin now."

"Your hour starts now!" The announcer shouted and with that, all the alchemists in the area scattered away to find their materials for transmutation, including the arrogant sunglasses freak who proceeded near the insanely huge iceberg.

_I don't even want to imagine where the heck did they get it from. _Ed mused to himself as he looked at the towering build of ice with a sweat drop.

As he watched some of the alchemist gather about their supplies, Edward started to realize that he had not yet planned on what he will alchemize.

Remembering the cannon launcher he transmuted a week ago, and the brick wall he has to fix all by himself, that idea was obviously crossed out.

"Damn. I knew this kind of thing can't be crammed." He scolded himself as he scratched the top of his head. After taking a few minutes of pondering, oh's and ah's were heard at one part of the grassy area. Curious to see what the other's transmuted, Ed joined the crowd and saw the blue-sunglass guy kneeling before the gigantic shard of ice.

With the green electricity of his alchemy encircling the whole ice, Ed knew that the man was transmuting the _whole _thing, which is slowly forming into a shape of a castle, in one shot.

Ed can't help but to hold his breath in awe as the ice castle came into completion. Every angle of it looks perfect. "His alchemy is as flashy as his glasses." He smugly said a moment later.

The ice alchemist stood up proudly and grinned at the panel, but as soon as he did so, his legs gave up from using too much alchemic energy at once then fell on his butt.

"He has nice handicraft. But he can't even stand from that ostentatious transmutation." King Bradley commented. Mustang, who was one of the watchers too, squinted his pointed eyes in agreement.

"Tch. Not much of a challenge, ay?" He heard someone scoffed and turned to see a man with frizzy black hair approach the mountain of rocks and soil, an air of superciliousness floating behind him.

Kneeling beside the huge pile of dirt soil, he slammed a hand on it then a wave of yellow electricity flashed before everybody's eyes, the dirt pile slowly molding into a growing tower. Aiming to outgrew the ice castle's bizarre height, the onyx haired man drew all the earth material into the transmutation and made the tower at least a hundred meters taller than the ice work, the forced workmanship making the structure to be a little too much bent than it's suppose to be.

A confident smile was sewn on the creator's face.

After seeing that, Edward decided to make his turn, but decided against it. Even with his ability to transmute without a circle, the transmuted object is still a criteria to pass. He has to think of something…not destructive.

With that, he again remembered the cannon shooter.

"I really thought that was a good idea." He said, his head hanging in defeat. "The tower!" Someone shrieked and Ed looked around and saw the massive tower of dirt cracking at the area where it bended. It only took seconds when half of it started to fall, causing amounts of debris to freefall towards the creator, who quickly scrammed out of the way.

The crack grew larger and travelled all the way around the thin tower and before anyone knew it, half of it slid from the structure then hit the nearby ice castle, cracking the brittle cold mirror into sharp shards that began to fall towards the brown-haired man.

Not feeling the muscles on his legs yet, the blue eyes under those turquoise spectacles grew large with fear.

"WAAHH!"

Seeing the near death of the person before his eyes, Ed didn't have any second thoughts and ran towards the scene, cursing his self for being too far. Clapping his hands in panic, he slammed them to the ground.

"This should be stopped." The Fuhrer ordered.

"Let me, sir" Lt. Colonel Roy volunteered as he fixed a glove on his hand, ready to ran their and snap a ball of fire that will melt the icy debris.

But even before the Flame Alchemist could make his move, blue light elicited towards the disabled man then an enormous hand grew from the dirt ground between the man and the falling ice, completely protecting him from any of the sharp cold pieces.

Opening his tightly closed eyes to see if he's already at the other side, his glasses almost fell from his face at the sight of the hand shield hovering over him.

Sweating like never before, Ed sighed in relief. "That was way too close."

"Ah, alchemy without circles." The Fuhrer said, courteously amazed.

"Well, I guess we found our alchemist. The youngest one we've ever had." With that announced victory from the President, which rarely happens, a quirk came up to Roy's lips.

_Well done, Elric. I can't wait to have your assistance._

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"Yo, Al! Over here!"

Turning back from the road he was currently taking, Alphonse saw his brother's blond hair a few meters from him, a wide grin plastered upon his face. "Brother! Thank goodness you're here!" He called out as he took the remaining steps towards him.

"Al! I passed the exam! I passed! I'm a state alchemist now!" Ed exclaimed as he proudly pulled the official silver watch from his jacket's pocket. Momentarily forgetting his true purpose, Al gasped with gladness. "Brother that's great!"

"Yeah, I know." The twelve-year-old's grin split over his face even more, a twinge of child-like pride traced in his features. Raising a fist towards Al, he said ,"This is the start, Al."

Alphonse can't help but smile inwardly. He touched his huge knuckle over Ed's gloved one, a habit they had whenever they win a fight with the bullies. Yeah, they've just beaten their way to the State and became a state alchemist.

"There's no turning back, Al." E said with full-blown determination, his eyes overflowing with courage. Al's red ones flashed the same way.

"Of course."

A few more moments later, Catherine's disappearance came back into mind. "Oh I almost forgot!"

"What is it?" Ed asked curiously as he pulled his fist back to him.

"Catherine's missing for almost two days now."

"What?! Did she leave a note or something?" Ed asked, alarmed. He may not be that close to the girl like Alphonse, but a person gone missing for two days can't be disregarded.

"Nothing. Nina said that Catherine left with saying that she'll be back for a while but she didn't." Al replied with the same intensity.

"Maybe she left us again, like what she did before."

"Brother! How can you say that now?! She can be in trouble, right now!" A shouted with panic.

And from that instant, a memory Ed had almost forgot came back to him.

The live, beating heart in Tucker's hand.

The nauseating scent of human blood dripping in his arm.

The murdering glint in his loony eyes.

"Al…"

"Brother, this is not the time to argue. We have to find Catherine."

"Yeah, we can do that later. We must go to the Tucker's first." The older of the two decided, already on his tracks.

"But broth-'

"Just trust me, Al! We must go to the Tucker's first and go check on Nina."

Just because of the examinations, he almost forgot, to check on what Tucker, really does on his job as a state alchemist.

From what he knows, live hearts can only be obtained from live people. So if he has those, the only question left is what kind of monstrous things he does with them.

And Edward, will definitely find that out.

"Let's hurry, Al. I don't like this feeling I'm having."

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The darkness.

The silence.

It was eating her.

It's sucking her into nothingness, filtering her to a world of void.

She can't take it. She wanted to break away, to wake up from this dream, if it was a dream.

"_She actually thinks she can stop it. Humans never cease to amaze me with their sheer foolishness." _A laughing voice said from nowhere, alerting all her senses. She wanted to demand as to who it is, but her vocal chords seemed to be lost among the nothingness too.

It was the same voice she heard in every nightmare she has during the nights.

It was the Eye's voice.

Frantic fear crawled to her heart. She wanted to scream and run for her life. But she can't feel her legs. What was happening to her?!

"_Foolish, foolish humans…_" A horrid cackle of evilness came after that, gripping every feeling inside her now with terror she knew she can't escape from.

And what it said…she's actually, believing it as truth.

She can't save Nina. She can't even use her voice or use her legs and help her now.

She's not just foolish.

She's weak and pathetic, and a human like that can't save anyone, let alone herself.

"I'm sorry, Nina." Her feathery voice fluttered on front of her, her dry lips cracking at every word.

Sorry…

Sorry-

Her eyes snapped open in an instant. Red orbs gazed around to see a door about ten meters from her, tables pushed to all sides to make the center as spacious as possible. Dust and darkness filled her senses for a few seconds.

"A dream…" She muttered to herself a few moments later. She tilted her head again and heard a clank of chains above her head. Looking up to see what it was, she saw her hands trapped in metal shackles screwed to the wall, separately to lessen her mobility. A wild, ringing pang of pain from the top of her head followed.

All came to her in a rush when she felt her whole body dangling limply by her arms which ached with their sore muscles being stretched for a long time.

She was chained up pretty good by the bastard Tucker. Not ready to give up in her fate, she struggled her immobilized arms to try to clap her hands to make her way out of this using alchemy. But the effort was left useless, since it's pretty obvious that the reason she was locked up this way is to prevent her from using alchemy.

"So you knew, huh?" She said to the air, her head hanging tiredly to let strands of curled hair to spill at the sides of her face.

"Of course I knew, Ms. Ederson." The answering voice took her by surprise, making the rusty shackles to clink noisily with her jolty, hanging body.

There, standing at the center of the room, was Shou Tucker, the maniacal glint still twinkling even behind those thick spectacles.

"I know your special skill – transmuting without a circle. You even taught it to that Elric brat the other day. Maybe you can teach me too, Ms. Ederson." He said, the evil grin already toned in his voice. Catherine grinded her teeth together.

"Like hell I will. Once I break out from these, _I'll kill you._" She grounded, her eyes turning into dark crimson. The Sewing Life Alchemist just cackled at her threat.

"I wonder how'll you do that? I'm curious." He mocked as he moved closer to her to show his smug grin. Anger flashed through Catherine's eyes then began to thrash her weary, dangling body from its hold, her free legs kicking as far as they can towards Tucker's direction.

"I swear, I swear I'm going to kill you! YOU BASTARD! I'm going to dismantle you and your outrageous little plans and smash them with my own fists!" She continued to roar as she whipped her limbs towards the man in front of her, her eyes glowing with mighty fury.

"It's that so?" He said, the side of his lips quirking with amusement. The red-eyed girl growled at him, continuing to force her arms free from their metal restrains like a wild animal.

"Sorry to disappoint you but I think the only thing you can do, is to watch and learn." The statement froze Catherine's movements, her body stiff with terror and her widened with horror realization.

The floor. The floor is covered with a huge alchemic array drawn with thick white paint, its twirling lines and triangles forming the same array Catherine encountered in her vision.

Permanent genetic fusion transmutation.

Desperation took her mind as Tucker began to proceed to the door. Just one step and he's done. Nina's going to be killed. And she can't do anything but hang there pathetically and watch as her wicked father took on his plans.

She can't stop her vision again, just like before.

Just like before…

The thought of it ate all her emotions away, leaving outraged fury to run her mind as she began to tear herself wildly from the chains.

Moving to one of the dark corners of the room where a table sat, Tucker picked glass box, full of liquid judging from the splashing sounds it made as the alchemist lifted it for Catherine to see.

"Do you see this Ms. Catherine?" He asked excitedly. The young girl only answered him with a shiver. Because submerged in the yellow foul liquid, is a heart, its veins pumping with life.

"A…a live heart?" She answered fearfully, once again paused from her movements.

"Aha, yes, a live heart." He casually agreed before sinking a hand on the thick yellowish water to pick the organ in his hand. Catherine can swear her whole life that she could hear its beating from her place.

"Monster…why…why do you have that?" She asked in breaths.

Smiling at her question, Shou began to walk around, the live organ in his hand. "In order to complete the transmutation, the creature must remain alive and in order to do that, the alchemist must be sure to not disrupt the object's heart."

"Object?" Catherine said between gritted teeth, her eyes curtained by her bangs.

"I need an actual living heart to study on, so I can make the transmutation perfect. A perfect, talking chimera. Oh, I can see it now."

Catherine's lips began to quiver with hatred, her already bloody wrists still pushing against their metal traps, her fists curled into tight balls.

The wound in her right wrist grew deeper and soon blood overflew from the tore skin then dripped to the cemented floor in three circular blood drops.

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A door was slammed open with such brute that it was almost ripped from its hinges. "Nina?!" Edward called out in the yellow-wallpapered room filled with dolls, which is known as Nina's room. "Nina? Nina where are you?" He called out in a loud voice once more as he stepped into the room.

Crayons and picture books were scattered across the little girl's plastic desk so the young boy concluded that the four-year-old went out in a haste.

She never left her room with any disarrangements, for her mother might make a surprise visit and see that she hadn't take her responsibility in cleaning her own room, as she always says.

Following the thought of mother, Edward crept closer to the tiny desk to see a doodle of Nina and two more people at her sides, presumably her parents. He gazed intently at the wiggled drawing of the mother.

_Speaking of her mother, where is she really? The only thing Mr. Tucker said is that she was away two ye-_

A sudden intuition to the answer of his questions stopped his every thoughts, his hands turning into shaking fists.

"Brother! I searched the other rooms but they were all empty. And Mr. Tucker had gone missing too…"

"Al." Ed said heavily with his shoulders quaking with tense.

"Bro..Brother?" Alphonse, worried at his brother's sudden weighty aura, walked over him to put a hand on his hard shoulder.

"Why haven't I…realized before? The talking chimera, his wife two years ago…" He began to talk to himself.

"Brother, what are you talking about?" Facing his armor brother, Ed was about to tell him his discovery when he saw a paper in his gauntlet hand.

"What is that?"

Lifting the green paper to let his brother to see, Al replied, "A map of Central City. I found it in Catherine's room." Taking the said paper in his hands, Ed scanned over it and spotted an area enclosed in blue ink.

"The place with the blue circle must be where Catherine is right now. Felter Laboratory. At least thirty blocks from here, behind Truny Warehouse."

"It's a state-owned laboratory. I saw it in one of the state's maps of properties." Ed deducted, his chin crunching in deep thought.

"What do you think Catherine is doing there?" Al asked to both of them, thoroughly confused. Folding the map into his pocket, the new state alchemist turned on his heels.

"We must hurry and find them."

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A rusty creak came to Catherine's ears. Slowly lifting her baggy, dull eyes, she saw the metal door of this hellhole opening, spilling some dim light on the dark room. Murmurs began to fill the room, irritating the young girl's tired mind.

She started her stubborn resolve to pull her hands out of these handcuffs, the stinging pain of torn flesh building up on her nerves for the first time. A line of wet liquid tickled her arm until it stopped to stain her white undershirt. She looked about and saw that it was blood.

_Ah damn. Now I'm bleeding._ She thought bitterly.

"Daddy? Why is it so dark in here? "A familiar tiny voice echoed in the eerie room snapping Catherine out of her thoughts, a ringing, painful feeling throbbing from her skull all across to her heart then travelled to her exhausted limbs.

_It's starting._ Something in her mind whispered, making the girl to throw her head left and right in refusal to believe.

"No way…"

There, by the open door, stood a four – year – old brunette with a leash held in her little hands, just the presence of the child confirming her vision's initiation.

"No…" She continued to deny, her features washed with fear.

"Because light might destroy daddy's work." The man explained before a maniacal smile made its way to his face, acting unaware of the chained girl in the room's wall as best as he can.

"No. This can't possibly be happening already."

"Now, did you bring Alexander with you?" He asked in awkward kindness.

"Yes daddy! Now what do we do to help you out, daddy?" The little girl asked sweetly as she skipped her way inside the room.

"NO NINA!" The little girl stopped in her tracks, her hair flicking over her shoulders in the process as her eyes tracked the source of the voice. "Big sister?" Noticing the shadow formed at one dark corner of the room, the little brunette walked towards it. After taking five small steps there she saw her red-head big sister hanging in the wall in metal chains holding her blood-stained wrists.

"Big sister!" She cried and pulled Alexander with her as she ran to her aid. Once she reached her side, Nina looked up at her with teary eyes.

"Big sister…who did this to you?" She asked with fear. The sight was really unbearable for an innocent child like her. "Nina. Listen to me. You have to run now. As in now. Bring Alexander with you." Catherine whispered in a raspy voice, her stern eyes ahead to watch Tucker's movements.

"But how ab-"

"Just listen to me and run! NOW!" She barked at the child with anger and panic, the veins in her eyes becoming visible by exhaustion.

"Nina, come and help daddy here." Catherine immediately froze at the Sewing Alchemist's voice, watching Nina intently if who will she obey more.

"Daddy, why is big sister tied up like this?" She asked meekly, hugging Alexander to her side.

"Because she is a bad girl and did bad things." He replied sweetly, stepping closer to his daughter.

"Nina, do what I told you and run. Now." Catherine ordered lowly, her teeth grinding together.

"That's not true. Big sister is a good girl. She never did anything bad to me. Well, aside from being mean all the time, but that's okay, bigger brother said that's the way she is." Nina said softly.

"No, that's not okay. She's mean to daddy so daddy punished her." Tucker reasoned out then knelt in front of Nina.

"Why you bastard…" Catherine cursed and began to wiggle violently in her chains again, worsening her already bleeding wounds.

"But don't worry, Nina dear. I won't do that to you, because I know you'll obey everything I say." The man said, one of his hands making their way to Nina's head then travelled slowly to the back of her head towards her nape, caressing them that way.

"But daddy, you have to let go of big sister now, she doesn't look good and I think she learned her lesson now." Nina suggested with her signature tilt of the head.

"You brat! I said run! RUN!" The young alchemist from behind shouted desperately, but looks like Nina is already caught in her father's spell and wouldn't listen to her. "Damn it!" She hissed, the beads of sweat in her forehead were already gathering in her brows.

"Oh yes I will let go of her immediately." As his hand reached her nape once again, two of his fingers pressed the tip of her spinal chord, knocking the little girl unconscious in his arms. "After you obeyed my orders." He muttered to his sleeping daughter.

"BASTARD! WHAT DID YOU DO TO NINA! WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!" Her barks increased ten folds as her vision was beginning to roll before her eyes. Yes, she may be corporal this time, not a stupid airy spirit in her vision, but damn it all, she's chained in a wall, goddamn the higher life that she believed is the one responsible for all of these! She can't do anything! Anything at all!

A chuckle came out of Shou Tucker as he stood up to scoop Nina in his arms. "Didn't I tell you, that you will just watch, and learn?"

Her voice hitched as everything she was preventing from happening unfold before her widened eyes.

Alexander began to bark, sensing that his owner is in danger. Prepared that this will happen, Tucker put Nina away in one of the vacant tables then fetched a syringe. Moments later the barking stopped and everything was quiet.

"No…" Catherine said in disbelief, hanging her head as low as possible with her eyes tightly closed.

"NO!" She began to thrash her body in all directions, her eyes still unseeing as she kept them shut. She can't watch it all over again. She can't.

"NO!!!"

Blinding, white light filled the whole room.

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"Are you sure about this, Brother? You could lose your title because of this, you know." Al asked as they crept through the dark hallway of the laboratory's edifice, an oil lamp in Ed's hand. He can surely say that they'll be caught, if there really is something going on here beyond the public's reach.

"We'll think about that later. The important thing now is to find where Catherine is. And I have a huge feeling that Nina is in here, too." Ed admitted.

"What? Nina?"

"Yes. I'm sorry I haven't told you about this Al, but I really have this hunch about Mr. Tucker and his talking chimera."

"Mr. Tucker? But wh-"

_Tap._

"What's that, Al? Did you step on something?" Ed asked, halting in his steps. Al, who lifted his metal foot to see what he had step on, answered, "Yeah. It sounded like wood."

Hovering their only light to the floor, a closed passage with a metal bar handle sticking at the right side answered their wonderings.

"A trap door, in a laboratory?" Al asked, finding the place all the more suspicious.

"Let's check it out." Taking the turn of opening it, Edward gripped the handle as firm as possible in his gloved hands then pulled with all his effort, the veins in his neck almost popping out of his skin. But the door didn't budge a bit.

"Your turn." Ed offered with a sway of his hand.

Al simply held the metal bar then pulled it open without showing any effort at all, almost making Ed's eyes pop out of their sockets. "Ho-how did you?"

"Come on, brother." He dismissed the subject immediately then made his way down the underground staircase. The older of the two followed after that with the thoughts of 'I envy my brother's body' occurring in his mind.

"The door's unlock." Al concluded in his echoic voice as he twisted the knob of the only door at the bottom of the stair steps.

"Good. The easier we can get through." Ed mused grimly, opening the door noisily then moved inside the room with Al's clanking footsteps in tow.

Silence greeted them as they continued to maneuver inside the dusty dark room, noting the arrangement of tables, and the clean spacious center. "Looks like someone's been using this place." Ed whispered to Al, moving his oil lamp to every corner of the room.

_Clink._

Turning to his left upon hearing a movement beneath the sheet of darkness, Al took careful steps in that direction, trying to make his heavy feet as quiet as possible.

"What is it, Al?" Ed asked.

"Brother, move the light over here." Obeying the request, Ed moved over to shine some light on the pointed direction. Slowly, the yellow light of the lamp cut through the thick darkness and there, at that secluded corner where no tables were set aside at, is a girl with long red hair hanging in the wall by the chains attached to her thin arms.

"Catherine?" Al asked for confirmation as he and his brother dared to move closer to her. Lifting her gaze at her name, Catherine's drained, dull eyes met the figure of the Elric brothers below her.

"Catherine!" Al cried then ran towards her.

"That's Catherine?" Ed asked as he saw how different their friend looks - her boyish clothes, the unkempt hair and almost lifeless eyes, not to mention the blooded bruises in her wrists.

"I see that you've come, too, Edward." Turning sharply at the malicious tone of voice, the state alchemist saw Tucker standing at a corner of the room, his glasses tinted by the dim light of his oil lamp.

Edward pulled his lips into a growl. There was no need to act that there's nothing going on.

"What did you do to Catherine?" He demanded with golden eyes as sharp as daggers.

"Oh, that. That's not important right now. I want to show you something, Edward. The pride of my career as an alchemist." Al glared at him from his place once he finished freeing Catherine, who haven't said a word and just sat in the floor, her bleeding hands hanging at her sides.

"You're late." She said, her throat dry. Al faced her, but her bangs were covering what her eyes wanted to tell.

"I couldn't stop him." She continued to mutter, making Al to be more lost.

"What are you talking about, Cath? What happened? Tell me." The armor asked as gently as possible as he held her frail shoulders, but her head was still turned away stubbornly.

"Come out now. Your friends Edward and Alphonse are here." Tucker called out to someone in the dark.

Ed only frowned at him. "Where's Nina?" He asked dangerously.

"Come out, now. Don't be shy." The man continued to purr as he ignored the state alchemist's question.

"I said where's Nina?!" He asked again with impatience and fury then grabbed a hold of Shou's collar, pulling him down to his height.

"My…friends?" A raspy voice asked from nowhere. Three pair of eyes dilated in shocked horror just by hearing it.

Darting their eyes to the voice's direction, there, emerging from one corner of the room, is a beast resembling that of a dog's, its furry protection the color of white and light brown.

"I have…friends?" It asked, innocence traced in its rough, craggy voice.

"Of course you have. C'mmon, say hi to Edward and Alphonse." He continued to chirp in that fake, kind voice of his.

"It…It can really talk?" Al asked, his mind confused if he'll be awed at the magnificent creature or be surprised that the man actually did it. It just seemed so impossible…

The girl at his side shivered feebly, her small shoulders shaking weakly as her breath came in uneven intervals. "Catherine?" The worried echo of his voice just made the young alchemist to grit her teeth and grip at her hands, its wounded wrists staining the cloth with crimson liquid.

"Ed…ward" Edward can't do anything but to freeze in his place as he gazed at the animal pronouncing his name, his eyes dancing with revulsion.

"Ed…ward. Smaller…bro…ther." The color in Ed's eyes shrunk into dots upon hearing its last words. Only one person in the world called him that. Only one person…

Pulling Tucker towards him by his collar, Ed threw a powerful right hook against the Sewing Alchemist's face, the raging force almost disconnecting his head from the rest of his body. "Bastard! You bastard!" The young blond boy roared with all his fury then landed another heavy punch on the man's other cheek.

"How could you? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO YOUR OWN DAUGHTER?!" Ed yelled at the top of his lungs, his body failing to contain his overflowing anger as it shook with resentment. Al gasped at what he heard.

"This is all my fault." He heard Catherine mutter to herself, her frame impossibly shaking more terribly.

"Nina…" She whispered miserably as she clenched her own fists into hard balls, her actions followed by Al's large hands. Now he understands. The meaning of what Catherine's been trying to hide from him the other day. So it was about this.

"How could you?! What kind of monster are you?!" Edward cried, his face painted with mixed hatred and fear as the man continued to smile that crazy smile even as he tried to hit some sense to his expression with his automail hand.

"What about what you did to your mother, Edward?" The boy's next attack stopped an inch away from the man's face, those words themselves enough to make the child remember the night he tried to reach his mother again…to see her smile just once more…

"Didn't you use her, too? For her own, flesh and blood sons to use her as a test subject for their alchemic experiments, what kind of sons are you?" Tucker shot back through his swollen, split lips, his eyes earning in size as he watched Edward sink his words.

"What kind of monster are you? Huh? Edward?" As soon as those words escaped Shou's mouth, he already his biggest mistake in life for all the wavering thoughts of not killing this man faded from Ed's eyes to be replaced with blind murder.

_It is exactly…what mom would say…_

"HUAAAAH!" He roared wildly then backed his bloodstained fist away for a final, deathly blow. He was about to launch the attack when something locked his action in place, completely halting him. Snapping an annoyed look over his shoulder, he saw Al hovering over him with his hand holding his.

"Stop it, Brother. You'll kill him." He said, his voice cold to be considered calming. Considering that thought, Ed traveled his gaze over Tucker's grinning face, his breath sagged as more and more blood escaped from the cuts his fists made.

"Why not kill him?" A voice asked darkly, and they turned to see blue lights eliciting at one of Catherine's hands. As she slowly got on her feet, a long spear molded from the ground, its form completed as soon as the alchemist reached her full height.

"If you can't do it, then step aside, I'll kill him myself." She announced grimly, her hold around the weapon's neck tightening.

"Stop this, Catherine. We can't kill anyone, and that's it." Al said firmly, stepping in front of his brother and Mr. Tucker.

"_Move out of the way!" _She hollered then speedily ran towards Al. Crossing his arms before him for his friend's attack, Al was shocked to even reflex another move when the red-haired girl jumped then appeared over his head.

Stepping over his helmet as leverage to launch herself towards Tucker, Catherine grabbed a hold of his shirt then pushed him against the cold painted wall with that force. Soon after, the sharp tip of her bludgeon touched Tucker's throat threateningly.

"Here I am, Shou Tucker. Fulfilling what I swore to do." She said with eyes sharpened with ferocity.

"Catherine, what are you doing? You can't kill him." Ed said with agreement to Al, his senses coming back in an instant as he saw his friend lost hers.

She ignored him and instead pressed her blade harder into the man's skin.

"Stop this, Cath! This is crazy!" Al rebuked, stopping himself to intervene physically in fear to provoke the young girl's killing intent.

"Stop what? From killing this man? _You got to be kidding me!_" She shouted back sourly, the deep curve of frown she gave Al showed no mercy. The armor cringed inwardly.

_This is not Catherine. This is not the Catherine I know. _

"I've already given him a chance, to change his mind on this. But he didn't." She laughed, pushing the edge of the spear even more to let a trickle of blood ooze from his neck.

"Instead he chained me to wall and let me watch as he ruthlessly used Nina to make his fucking chimera! What reason do I have to spare this bastard's life?! Huh?! Tell me! _Tell me!_" She yelled, tears of anger glistening her eyelashes.

No one answered her, because the two brothers were too busy pondering her words with utter shock.

"AAHHHH!" She yelled with mounting rage as she braced her weapon for a final attack, an attack aimed to his heart. She will make him know, how it feels like, to have his heart ripped from his chest before his very own eyes.

"Big sister?" Every cell, every murdering thought, suddenly halted inside Catherine when she heard that voice. The voice in her vision. The voice that took Nina away.

"Big…sister. You…promised…come back…dinner. Promised…to play." Slowly swirling her head to look at the furry animal beside her feet, the spear that was held in midair began to quake with her body. "Ni..Nina."

"You…promised…play." It reminded with its raspy voice that was completely not Nina.

Nevertheless, it made Catherine to lose hold of her deadly spear, which fell in a loud clang against the hard floor. Soon after, her legs followed as she gave out into her knees in front of Tucker.

Silence wasn't given any room when sets of footsteps echoed at the top level. "Search every nook of this building!" Someone ordered before another sets of pounding feet faded in another direction.

No one moved in their places until another presence occupied the room, the presence thick with authority.

"What happened here, Edward Elric?" Brigadier General Grande asked, his voice demanding an immediate answer as his speculative eyes scanned the messy crime scene. It didn't take any long when his interest narrowed down to the animal wagging its tail fearfully.

"He…used his own daughter, sir. He used his _own daughter_." That was all he needed to say to make the understanding widen the soldier's eyes.

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It took at least twenty minutes to tame the brown-furred chimera and lead it to a cage truck, ready to transport to one of the state's laboratories. Tucker didn't show any restraint as the soldiers clamped his face into the wall then locked his hands behind his back with handcuffs. He was thrown to a black car that will deliver him to the jail quarters.

"I don't want any of this to be mentioned again. Act as if you've seen nothing. Do I make myself clear?" Grande ordered with a stern, heartless tone, his mustache appearing to be as sharp as his command.

"What?! Then what about Ni-" Edward retort was cut short when an iron fist collided against his ribs, knocking all of his air out. He can't help but to kneel in pain as he coughed for the lost oxygen.

"You should understand that this matter doesn't concern you. I should even question your being here, Edward Elric." He said as he turned the silver metal that composed his fist into normal size once more. He wasn't called the Iron Blood Alchemist for nothing, after all.

The soldiers together with Basque Grande started to fade from his blurry eyes, their figures disappearing inside the truck that held Nina.

"No, I won't let you." He assured in a pained voice then clapped his before slamming them to the ground. Soon, blue flashing lights sparkled beneath him, transmuting the ground into waves of dirt that continued towards the rearing car. Once the lump of earth reached its tires, the driver lost control of the car as it swirled around the asphalt road before crashing in its side.

The impact caused the lock on Nina's cage to be broken open. Sensing its freedom, the chimera climbed out of the car.

"Nina!" Edward called, glad that he successfully freed the animal. As if it heard him, its nose perked towards where he, Al, and Catherine stood. In a moment there, Catherine saw its eyes glow red behind the shaggy hair.

It ran off to a different direction the next second they knew.

"_Nina!_" Ed cried then ran after it, putting the fracture pain in his ribs aside. "Brother!" Al followed and sprinted after the older Elric, leaving Catherine to stand in the dark road alone, her dull red eyes watching them fade away in the distance.

Something wet dropped to her nose snapped her out of her daze. Raising her bandaged hand to wipe it off, she saw nothing but clear water.

"The rain's…going to start soon."

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"Nina!" Edward called out for the fifth time, but the scampering beast ahead of him seemed to not understand her and continued to run away from him.

_No. It's still Nina. She's still inside that thing. No, no, she is that thing!_

"Nina. Nina just calm down, okay? I saved you so I can turn you back to normal. I'm going to help you be human again. I-I'm your friend!" Edward yelled as he jogged after mammal's tail.

It was still a block and a half from him when the chimera cut its way to an alley.

"Nina!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

A tattooed arm.

A limb full of swirling lines and symbols he couldn't decipher, the letters etched in his dark skin making out words he couldn't make sense of.

"Why…why did you give me this arm, Brother?" A deep voice of man asked himself as he sat in the darkest corner of the alley he found to home.

Confusion and betrayal were the only emotions that stirred his heart ever since he found himself lying awake in a deserted area with nothing but this foreign arm.

The arm that once belonged to his brother. Gritting his teeth, he fisted his hands to make the veins in this wretched arm to pump more blood, hoping that in doing so, it'll just explode off of his body then this terrifying confusion will vanish.

Faint, ragged breathing broke his lonely silence and he raised his eyes covered with red sunglasses to see a white and brown dog heaving its way towards him. Not minding an animal as a companion, he moved his tattooed arm then placed a hand above the furry dog's head.

Like a lightning flash, the animal's bodily components and chemical make-up flashed inside his head, zapping him for a second.

"You're a chimera…half human and half dog. Poor creature, you must be in pain. What? Why did I know that?" He wondered, the confusion coming back in its place inside of him.

Pulling the arm back to him, he looked at the lines again that made up the triangles and circles that he couldn't understand _before._ "I see now, Brother. This is the reason why…you left me this arm."

Putting his hand back to Nina's head, he said, "I must use this, to avenge you and our people. And to send these suffering souls back to our Creator."

Red eliciting light filled the whole alley.

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Scratching his boots against the road, Edward stopped at the alley where he saw Nina go. "Nina?" He gave the alley a look. It has a dead end and only reeking garbage cans occupied the place. There was no sign of the brown-furred chimera.

_I was sure this is where she turned._

He stepped into the dim nook, inspecting every corner.

"Nina? Nina where are you?" He stopped in his tracks then scanned his eyes around. He spotted that the wall that ended the alley was stained with something that is dark-colored, its form obviously scattered and fresh.

Pit patters of rain started to fall.

Squinting his eyes to see through the fuzziness of the night, Edward tried very hard to determine what it is. And when he did, he wished he hadn't look at it.

The golden hue in his eyes shrunk into dots as they recognized that color as blood. Blood of someone who got killed and died.

It was Nina's blood.

"_NO!_" Yelling as he refused to believe it, Edward ran over it then touched his hands on the cold wall, his gloves absorbing the mixture of rain and blood.

"Brother!" Al called from his behind before his clanking metal steps came near him.

"Nina…" That was all it took for Al to share the horror. Ed's hands curled around the wall, as if by doing will bring the young girl he used to know back.

"Nina…Nina's dead?" The armor said, his echoic voice wavering.

Edward Elric shouted with despair, hot tears running freely from his eyes.

"This is all my fault, you know!" Two heads turned around to see Catherine at the end of the alley, her eyes showing nothing but guilt.

_**Share with me the blankets that you're wrapped in **_

_**Because it's (cold outside) cold outside it's cold out side** _

"I knew this was going to happen! I saw it in my vision! I saw it, dammit!" She cried at them, her head bow in shame.

"So…so just blame me, okay? _Just blame me!_" She pleaded in desperation.

Only the worsening pouring of rain came after that.

"No, just partly yours." Edward broke out, strands of blond hair curtaining his eyes.

"Because you were right there but you didn't stop it! If you've just told us we could've help and Nina should be alive right now!" Catherine cringed at the accusation, her heart crumpling with hurt. It's true. What he said is true, but why is it so painful?

_**Share with me the secrets that you kept in **_

_**Because it's (cold inside) cold inside it's cold inside** _

"Brother! You know it's not her fault!" Al yelled at him with so much anger that Ed widened his eyes, shock at his own words. His tight fists hardened, the want to punch himself for saying such reckless words filling inside of him.

"No, no, he's right." The red-haired girl said, a sour smile curling her lips. "Everything he said was right."

"Catherine, that's not true. Brother's just-"

"Stop covering the truth Al just because I'm being hurt! I don't need your damn pity! I know my own faults!" She berated as loudly as she can, her heart throbbing with more pain. The armor took closer steps towards the girl, attempting to calm her.

Catherine took a step back.

"If I just told you guys the moment I saw the vision, you could've help me and Nina could've been saved."

"Catherine-"

"If I didn't act so stupid and weak back there I could've save Nina!" Another step back.

"Stop it! That's not true!" Al shouted back.

_**And your slowly shaking finger tips **_

_**Show that your scared like me so **_

_**Lets pretend were alone **_

"Stop pretending that you don't blame me too, Al! Just blame me like Ed did! Just do it!" She demanded angrily.

"I don't blame you, Cath. Nothing of this is your fault!" Alphonse yelled with such intensity that it took his possessed body to walk the rest of the way towards the girl.

The rain poured even harder.

"Don't lie to me!" With that she twirled around wildly then dashed her way away from them.

"Catherine!"

_**And I know you may be scared **_

_**And I know we're unprepared **_

_**But I don't care **_

She continued to run, run as blindly and fast as she could through the dizzying rain. Why, why does it hurt this much? To be blamed? It was all her fault, an unforgivable mistake. But why did she expect them to not blame her? To not see that this was not her fault? Why?

Her legs stopped working as she reached a bank overlooking the rough moving river that was caused by the heavy pouring rain. She had ran far, she hadn't noticed.

After minutes of running and finding after his friend, Alphonse finally turned right on his tenth block, knowing this road to lead near the river he used to sat at. And there, he saw sitting at the edge of the brick mount separating the river water from cemented landed was Catherine, her figure a little blurry over the rain.

_**Tell me tell me **_

_**What makes you think that you are invincible **_

_**I can see it in your eyes that you're so sure **_

The young alchemist gazed at her reflection at the wavery river water, her thoughts blank and flying. She didn't know what to think anymore. Hell, she didn't even know how to think things clearly anymore. Everything became blurry -her reason of being here in this world, her visions, the other world she surely thinks she came from, her memories…

Ah, yes, her lost memories.

Maybe if she had those back, just some of them, maybe she can at least shed some light on one of the dark pits of her soul.

She was a lost soul.

An empty soul with no place and meaning to this world.

"You run pretty fast." A familiar voice came from her behind, startling her a bit.

_**Please don't tell me that I am the only one that's vulnerable **_

_**Impossible **_

She turned to her right to see Al's armor sitting beside her, his gaze on a distance. Following his gaze, she said, "Sneaking up on me like that, you should stop doing that. Anyway, you should be with your brother right now. He's probably throwing some tantrums right now."

"Nah, he's calmed down now, a little." He said, his eyes still lost at the water, watching raindrops softly hitting the river's surface.

_**I was born to tell you I love you **_

_**Isn't that a song already **_

_**I get a B in originality **_

_**And it's true I cant go on without you **_

_**Your smile makes me see clear **_

_**If you could only see in the mirror what I see **_

A sad, weary smile stretched in her face. Silence misted around them as the rain began to subside slowly.

_**And your slowly shaking finger tips **_

_**Show that your scared like me so **_

_**Lets pretend were alone **_

_**And I know you may be scared **_

_**And I know were unprepared **_

_**But I don't care **_

"You know…" She began, taking Al in silent surprise. This was the first time she actually took the initiative to talk, for he guessed earlier that all she needed was companionable silence.

"The time when I saw you carrying Ed's bloody body, asking for my help, I promised myself one thing that I'll never do ever again." She said in a soft tone, the smile in her face growing bitter by the second.

"What is it?" Al asked, curious.

"I promised, that I'll never cry ever again." She answered, smiling at that vow she made just a year ago.

_**Tell me tell me **_

_**What makes you think that you are invincible **_

_**I can see it in your eyes that you're so sure **_

_**Please don't tell me that I am the only one that's vulnerable **_

_**Impossible **_

"Really? Why is that?" Al followed up, his voice coming in gentle waves.

"Remember when Ed kicked me out of your house?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"Then he alchemized the door from the inside so I can't get through. He even sealed the windows. That jerk." She recalled, narrowing her eyes in annoyance. It only took a moment before it faltered sadly again. "So I…"

_**Slow down girl you're not going anywhere **_

_**Just wait around and see **_

_**Maybe I'm much more you never no what lies ahead **_

"I tried to transmute the door, to get inside and stop you. But it was raining back then, the circles were just getting washed away, and I still don't know that I can use alchemy without circles."

"I felt so helpless back then. I saw the purple lights inside, but I couldn't do anything. All I can do was watch and imagine how the gate ate you alive. All I did was cry and cry...and cry." A dry laugh followed her sentence.

_**I promise I can be anyone I can be anything **_

_**Just because you were hurt doesn't mean you shouldn't bleed **_

_**I can be anyone, anything, I promise I can be what you need **_

"And look at you now…" She waved a hand as if to present him to a panel of judges. Al looked at her hardly.

"Cath-"

"My crying didn't do any great, even how much I did, ay?" She finished, letting her arm drape nonchalantly beside her.

_**Tell me tell me **_

_**What makes you think that you are invincible **_

_**I can see it in your eyes that you're so sure **_

Al just looked at her, a little awed that she opened up a part of her to him. Even how little, that was enough to let him know that she trusts him, even for just this little bit about her.

The last pat of raindrop hit the water with a faint tingle. The clouds above began to clear up to let the sun take some place in the sky.

"It stopped raining, at last."

Before Catherine knew it, her cheek was touching Al's chest plate, the back of her head firmly placed there by a big, yet gentle hand. Awareness flicked inside her as she felt Al's other hand placed carefully at the small of her back, as if afraid that he'll break her if he put too much force.

"No, there's another one coming." He whispered softly down at her. The smile that she so hardly put up vanished in an instant as she bit her lower lip. Her brows furrowed as she stubbornly still fought back the tears. _No, I promised I'm not going to cry again._

_**Please don't tell me that I am the only one that's vulnerable **_

_**Impossible**_

The rain, indeed, started to fall.

* * *

And there you have it. The last installment for the Nina part. Sorry if I didn't save her, I have…other plans. This part is crucial in the incoming ones, so I have to make it long to emphasize the things I changed. Hope that's ok. And before I forgot, sorry for the errors and typos. Even if I did this slowly, I think there are still typos in there. Sorry. –grins-

Again the song used here - Vulnerable, belongs to Secondhand Serenade. I just borrowed it because it's so beautiful. :D

Well, I hope you enjoyed it, even if it's pretty angsty. :D

Please read and review! :D


	19. A punch of friendship

A/N: Oh my God, I'm so sorry I haven't updated for so long. It's been a busy six or more months guys(college is the real hell, I tell you), and I really missed doing this story.

**Princess dela Luna: **Sorry if this chapter got so long to be out. *bows in shame*

This is really came out of the blue, so don't expect much from my long absence because honestly, a writer's block was one of the reasons of the delay of this story.

So yeah, here goes nothing…

* * *

Chapter 19 – A punch of friendship

* * *

"How long are you planning to sulk like this, Brother?" Al's tired, echoic voice broke the thickening silence enveloping the brothers for three hours since they came to Central HQ's file room and started digging Mr. Tucker's possessions two weeks since the news was _ever so gently_ broken to them…

"_Why am I the one who has to do this?" Was Edward's aggravated retort when he heard Jean Havoc summoned the Colonel Mustang's order._

"_It's what the order says kid, don't question the Colonel's decisions. He's your Commander, you know." The blond soldier explained with rough patience, his teeth grinding a half cigarette to contain himself. This is the reason why the military wasn't suppose to recruit kids like him. More like a child._

_Scowling in anger, Ed said, "If that bastard's research is so important to you, then why don't you make him do it? They're his filthy research after all. I don't even want to touch nor read any of it." _

_Havoc closed his eyes, ready to spare himself for the twelve-year-old's assumed reaction._

"_He can't. He's been executed yesterday."_

_Edward's face paled into sick white, his eyes dilated and dancing with horrid astonishment._

From then on, they had no choice but to read and arrange the various research files mainly about new biological findings that no one could find in any textbook and of course, chimera production, and it became more excruciating than it should be because of the elder Elric's unhelpful sullen attitude.

Said brother was hunched over at one of the dark corners of the room, giving no reply to the question given as he continued to scoop his gloved hands into an opened sack of sand, the fine grains of meshed soil slipping from his hands faster than his will to grip and keep them to himself. Just like his mother's life when he was just a breath away from reaching and pulling her from death. Just like Alphonse's hand when he was certain that he got a hold of it to pull him away from the ravenous gate. And then Nina… they're all sand. Everything he holds to him dearly slips away from him…just like this damned sand.

"This is not going to help, Ed. At least finding something useful from these papers could-" Al was cut short with shock when a good amount of bronze colored sand splashed against his helmet, the sack containing it empty and hanging at the tip of his horn for his eyes to see.

"That bastard's whole work is a devil's scheme, it would never help anybody! If the military wants this pile of shit so badly then the state must be full of lunatics like him!" The young alchemist shouted angrily, his hand curled into fists as he tried to refrain his furious tears.

"Brother-"

"Just look at what happened to Nina! If we help them get a hold of these information, before we knew it, they'll be already hunting down any…_human_ they snare to transmute into chimeras!"

"Brother, just listen to me!" Alphonse towering voice made the ranting boy clap his lips close when his brother's gauntlet hand took a hold of his jacket, lifting him up from the ground.

"What I'm saying here, _Ed_, is instead of curling pathetically in a corner, we should do our job as alchemists and find a method to help those who might have the same fate as Nina's! So it won't happen again!" Staring his hard molten eyes to Alphonse's fiery glows, Ed only gave a deep frown. It was really seldom that Al called him by his name.

"_Stand up and move forward_. What happened to that all of a sudden brother?! Are you giving up now?" Al dared with a violent jolt to his hold, flickering some determination back to Ed's dull eyes.

Seeing some effect, the armor let Ed's body drop to the ground in a slump stand before facing the door and storming towards it, a noisy click sounded after he exited.

The remaining occupant of the room continued to stand lifelessly where Al left him, his mind lingering to his sibling's words before closing his tired eyes shut.

Most of the time, really, Al was the one taking the 'older brother' role.

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_BAM!_

A hardly clenched fist punched deeply into the already beaten tree bark, white splinters gathering around the strong balled hand.

_BAM!_

Another swelling fist followed the powerful strike, then another from the previous one, worsening the already worse state of the bark.

Catherine continued this routine for a few more minutes, not really tracking the minutes, hours that already passing by.

It's been two weeks since the horrible incident.

_BAM! _

And she was sure, despite what he said before, Edward was still furious at her, for not telling them what she already knew before any of those happened.

_BAM!_

It was all her fault really, being too cocky and distrusting for not asking any help from them.

_BAM! BAM!_

And Al, she knows, that deep inside his contained soul, he blames her too. Blames her for distrusting them. For Nina's death.

_BAM! BAM!_

It's okay, for them to blame her really.

_BAM! _

It has to be okay to be blamed.

_BAM!_

I mean, it's all her fault right?

_BAM! BAM!_

Right?

_BAM! BAM!_

So why does it hurt this much? To be blamed?

_BAM! BA-_

"Augh!" The supposedly last punch only came as a weak contact to the deep hole made in the center of the tree, the said hand's knuckles starting to bleed and stain the white insides of the wood. Heaving hardly for air, Catherine glared through her unmoving sparing partner, her fierce eyes seeing through the blood flowing freely from her hand.

Grinding her teeth, she pulled her hand away, slightly feeling the splinters piercing through bruised skin, backing it up for another round of punches when she felt a hand grasp her upper arm into a halt.

"Just let me be, Al. I'm fine." She addressed with a hiss without any need to check the interruption of her training.

"Bleeding hands are not fine, 'ya know." A voice that was definitely not Al's said back.

Surprised, the young girl twisted sharply to face Edward standing before her, shadows hanging below his sleep-deprived eyes. Her eyes mirrored the same condition as she gave his cold stare back.

"Edward…I thought you and Al were in HQ doing some file sorting." She managed to say in an above whisper volume through her dry throat, the water she needed to wet it already had turned into sweat that covered all over her.

"Yeah, but Al ditched me so I don't really feel continuing any of it today anymore." He answered nonchalantly while taking the last few steps towards the tree she's been beating with strikes and punches for hours, the numerous dents and holes were proof enough.

"I…kind of pissed him off. So he left." He continued.

"Where'd he go?" She asked tonelessly as she sat on the wet grass, feeling the aches in her arms for the first time in her hours of training. She gazed up at the sky which was already turning a red orange, getting ready for the sun's final act for the day.

"I don't know. He'll come back by dinnertime anyway. He just needs to cool off. Just like the times when we have fights over candies and bunk beds wherein he's the one who runs away to wear his anger off by the river or up the hill."

"I don't think there're any hills or rivers near here." Catherine deducted with a raised brow.

"That's why I don't know where he is." Was Ed's logical reply, his attention still on the patterns of the ruined bark skin made by the Ederson girl. Companionable silence hung in their shared air for the first time.

"Why…are you punching a tree?" The blond boy broke the stillness with a confused expression in his face.

"It's ah…my sparring partner." She explained, not really knowing how to answer it in any other way.

With that said, Edward shot a look at her.

"What? It's good training, you know. Makes your fists tough." She defended with squinted eyes directed at his disbelieving ones.

"Tree? As a sparring partner? Wow, you really are weird." The youngest state alchemist concluded, his tone unbelieving that he doubted this presumption before.

"Whatever. Can you just leave me alone already?" She shot back sternly to hide the growing embarrassment.

"We don't blame you. Especially Al, you should already know that."

At that sudden change of words, Catherine couldn't help but to look up at Ed who has his hands curled at his sides, eyes casted elsewhere.

She furrowed her brows. "Geez, what are you saying all of a sudden?" She said, attempting to feign ignorance to avoid the topic.

"I know that you still think that I'm blaming you for what happened to Nina, even though I already told you that I didn't really mean it when I said it."

"Tch, don't assu-"

"You've been punching _that_ for weeks." The golden-eyed boy stated, referring to the poor tree that was once ornating their rented apartment's yard before it was turned into a poor excuse of a nature's work it is now.

"So? It's training." She argued back, a hint of annoyance in her tone.

"Tiring yourself to death and training are two different things."

A deep frown curled her lips, her eyes the ones avoiding his this time. She really did not want to talk about this.

"I don't really care if you guys blame me or not. It's still my fault either way." Yes, lie and tell the truth at the same time. It makes lying easier to be immune to.

Her contentment to just sit there and let her sore body alert her nerves was ended shortly when she felt herself being lifted from her seat by the front of her shirt. Before she could throw some nasty swears, a rather hard blow landed on her right cheek, sending her a few feet back before crashing to the grass covered soil.

Leaning on her elbows, she slowly regained her sitting position together with the stinging pain that started to climb from her cheek up to rattle her aching head.

Spitting out some blood that escaped from her cut lip then wiped some off, she turned to face the culprit, blaring up at him from the ground with eyes flickering dangerously.

Slowly, her bleeding lips curled into a cocky grin. "That was some punch." She commented.

"And fuck it hurts." Catherine lightly condemned as she caressed the throbbing pain in her cheek, which is now slowly turning into purple.

Quietly surprised that she's not angry, the older of the two admitted, "Al would be mad if he finds out that I punched a girl but I really think you needed one. Words can't make your senses run right again, as I've observed."

A smile crossed her lips at that statement. "Yeah, Al's like that. Getting worked up by silly little things. Now could you help me up?" She oddly requested with an extended hand towards him.

Raising a dubious brow, Ed reached for her hand then pulled her up to her feet with his automail. "You know, you're not that bad after all." Ed commented as Catherine wiped the remaining blood trickling from the side of her mouth, feeling her jaw painfully misaligned.

"I could say the same thing to you." Before the Elric could crack out a smirk, a punch he was sure as much powerful as his came in contact with his chin, making him fly backwards, his back slamming into the beaten tree bark before landing on the grass with a thud.

Raising half of himself from the ground, Edward grunted as he felt the aching disjoint of his chin. "Fucking crazy bitch, what the hell was that for?!" The twelve – year- old berated as he got up to his feet in a swift to blaze his fiery amber eyes at the girl across him.

"Told ya it toughens your fists. My punch pretty much smoked your automail's, huh?" The ruby-eyed girl declared with a victorious smirk plastered on her face.

Growling in response, he shot his glare to the side to pout like a twelve-year-old he is as he massaged his chin bones back to their place.

"Shut up."

Friendship doesn't always come in good terms. Well, at least not for the two of them.

* * *

A/N: Ok, this is one weird chapter. Totally just came out of the blue. It's not Ed/Catherine, never. This fic is all about Ed/Win Al/Catherine. I just need to have a chapter that develops the friendship between Ed and Catherine, since they'll be together for four years(or more?) helping each other in this story, right? So yeah, please excuse these crappy chapter.

And yeah, sorry for the typos! :D :D :D I'll still edit them along the way so please spare me...:D


	20. Surprise Visits

A/N: Okay, I am SO sorry for taking way too long in making this chapter. I won't make anymore excuses. Too ashamed to do so. But well, here it is, hope you guys would enjoy this chapter. :D Would also like to thank **Princess de la Luna **for her constant mails on how this story's goin'. Thanks, dudette. ;)

Chapter 20 – Surprise Visits

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Green and plain.

That was all she could think of as she stared at the piece of broken accessory trapped between her fingers. It was from the bracelets she had when she first came to this world – or so that what she still believed.

She tried to imagine a few times now its previous form as she twisted it around her fingers, the early morning sunlight glittering against its smooth surface. But the red – haired girl still couldn't find any other adjective for it other than…well, green and simple.

"_They're magnificent." _She remembered Al once said when he saw those bangles dangling in her wrist as she sat in their hallway. Catherine twisted the broken piece again between a thumb and index finger, watching with bored eyes as it glittered again with the sun, trying to connect her friend's description with this inanimate object.

"Hey, breakfast is ready." The friend in thought said from behind her, making her shoulders jump a bit in surprise. Glancing around, Catherine's glare found Al's towering armor standing beside her. How she missed those feet's clanking noise was beyond her.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop startling me like that?" She spat with annoyance, her eyes narrowing in their infuriated way.

"Your guard is off nowadays, so you shouldn't really be blaming me." Al defended, recalling on how she almost fell from her place in the tree branch when he told her about dinner while reading some brown old book.

Blushing at the truth mentioned, though she still denies it mentally, Catherine snapped her look to the side to hide it, a frown crinkling her cheeks. "I'm just…preoccupied is all." She finally admitted after a minute of pouting.

Al merely chuckled heartily at her renowned reaction. "Then what's it that you're preoccupied with just now?" The eleven – year-old asked.

"Well, nothing really." She answered softly, the hand holding the five-inch jewelry fragment playing with the said object. "Just something I owned before."

Alphonse noticed the small piece his friend was referring to, its texture and color somewhat familiar to him. "Is that the bracelet you had before?" Come to think of it, he never noticed that she wasn't wearing it anymore. He saw her eyes flash for a moment, as if simply stating that made the first conversation they had play before her dull, red eyes.

Few still moments passed until Al decided to shot a glance at Catherine, only to see her unmoving, her eyes dazed as they lay on the remnant of her once beautiful jewelry. Her shoulders made a faint jolt when she realized she was spacing off, the almost invisible movement caught by Al's reserved eyes.

She sighed, long and relieved, for whatever reason Al couldn't really decipher, before plopping on the grass, her arms sprawled all over the place.

Red glowing eyes followed her waiting patiently for an answer. Alphonse was always the calm and patient one. After all the short – circuiting temper Edward always has to pull off ever since then, even he had to admit that. But it seems like his red-haired friend here is starting to overuse this composed attitude of his that just merely talking with her already has the capability to drop an ounce of anger in his being.

_She's always like this. _Al said to himself, as the person beside him maintained her silent persona when he clearly just asked a question.

He should just ask another question. "How did it break?" He inquired, assuming that the answer to the previous question was a yes.

"Back in Majahal's place. I used it to draw a transmutation circle, since I was helplessly tied up back then." She finally gave her lazy reply as she tossed the emerald fragment a few feet high, observing it glitter against the hot blaze of the sun as it twisted in the air for a second before falling back to her palm.

_The wound in her arm that was shaped like a transmutation circle. _He recalled, taking a peek on her left arm to see a faint trace of indeed, an alchemic circle scar she wounded still hinted on the skin.

"Why didn't you fix it with alchemy then?" The armor asked, just in time for Catherine's fifth catch, in which her hand gripped into a fist above her.

She remembered having that idea back then, even the time when she secretly gone back to Majahal's place to collect the remaining pieces. But when she was about to clap her hands and fix the thing with eliciting lights, she just…halted then changed her mind. But, why didn't she fix it? That she couldn't remember. Wrapping the green shards in a hanky, Catherine recalled dumping them to the bin, the remaining piece she's holding right now was just found stuck in her pocket for whatever reason she couldn't remember.

Well, guess remembering things isn't really her thing, her current memory disposition proves very enough.

"It wasn't that important." She trailed off, her eyes of blood red glazed and heavy.

This time, Al really took the time to turn his clanking body to her as he tried to emphasize his befuddled look with his stiff helmet. "Not that important? It was the only thing you owned from your world!" He almost shouted at her in frustration on how she was so…so…

"Well, yeah, but holding into something as useless like this wouldn't bring my memories back nor return me to my world, now, would it?" She shot back equally with a flaring gaze to match his.

So detached! To everything!

"Besides, I can't even assure that I _did _come from another world. Maybe I'm just like you who attempted human transmutation, but just couldn't remember any of it unlike you two because that damned son of a bitch called Gate just the hell wanted it to be that way. Go figure." She ranted in a low, gritted voice, one of the longest sentences Al had heard from her. Maybe he managed to push one of her hidden buttons this time.

The boy abruptly faced away from Catherine to 'glare' at anything else but her, his soul taking a pouting face by now.

Heavy air of silence hung between them with Al's mild annoyance radiating along while Catherine resumed to her own game of catch and throw.

She just couldn't trust one bit, could she? One ounce of faith she wouldn't dare to pour into anything. Even to herself.

"Then why are you still keeping that all this time?" The Elric questioned daringly, making a pair of crimson eyes to enlarge.

Did…she really keep this? Is that why it's in her pocket all this time? She furrowed her eyebrows, aggravated, as she couldn't recall the answer.

_Why? _

Pushing her way into a sitting position, a bitter, sarcastic smile stretched in the young alchemist's face. "Who told you I'm keeping a junk like this?" Catherine stated with a soft chuckle along with it, before chucking it with a flick of her wrist, the emerald shard landing a few meters away to camouflage with the grass.

With another tired sigh – this kind of conversation really is an energy-consumer, she thought – the Ederson girl stood from her comfy seat in the ground. After stealing a quick glance at her stiff armored friend, she spun around and said, "Come on, the food'll get cold", before making her way inside the apartment.

Ignoring what the other said, since he can't eat any of the breakfast anyway, Alphonse chose to stay there and kept his eyes glued at the tossed piece of jewelry, watching it as it continued to glitter distinctively amongst the strands of grass around it.

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Gray smoke came out of the train's muzzle as it whistled with all its might, waking every sleeping passenger it has.

"The train has arrived Central City. All passengers taking off, please don't leave any belongings behind. Thank you and have a nice day." The announcer's cheeky voice echoed above all the murmuring and annoyed noises of the crowd, each one desperate to escape from the sea of heads and hats.

"Ah, Central Station really is big." Winry Rockbell mused in amazement as she squirmed her way out of the hundred bodies blocking her way. After a few shoves and a lot of excuse me's, the eleven-year-old blonde finally freed herself from the noisy crowd then sat herself on one of the vacant benches, her suitcase and toolkit laying next to her.

Sighing both in relief and a bit of exhaustion (sitting on a rock-hard seat for three days isn't good for her weak backbones), she ran a hand a through her messy bangs, a bright smile spreading across her face.

"Surprise, surprise."

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A league.

A league to get their bodies back.

That's what Edward Elric was supposed to find and research about. A way to bring his brother's body back. But no, he was there, sitting in one of HQ's cafeteria benches, digging some files he scooped from the restricted file room, hoping in vain to find Nina's murderer and do murder the person himself.

Flipping another page, he was greeted by a picture of a man with cropped black hair and green eyes, his right cheek decorated with an ugly scar, probably from a deep cut of a knife. Reading his criminal case and finding that it's unrelated to Nina's death, blond brows knotted all the more before turning the next page-

A picture of a blonde three-month-old girl lying in a crib with her limbs reaching for the camera suddenly popped in front of Ed.

"Isn't she the cutest thing you've ever seen?" Edward almost cracked the table in front him upon hearing the voice that has been interrupting him every minute of his visit in Central HQ.

"Major Hughes." He gritted in reply before slapping away the picture. "I'm working here. So if you don't mind, bug off."

Turning around in his seat so he can sit his back on the table, the jolly soldier only grinned in answer. "So young and already a workaholic, you'll never get a girlfriend with that kind of lifestyle." The man assured, noticing these past few days that the youngest state soldier is with no one but thick files sitting next to him.

Eyebrow twitch. _Ignore him. _The alchemist remained silent then turned a thin page with his gloved hand.

"Be careful, you might end up like your commander. Wifeless and…always cranky over my Elysia's pictures."

Growling at that last comment, Ed slammed the folder closed. "Everyone is cranky over those stupid pictures of yours, you bastard! And stop eating my meal!" The boy yelled, snatching his loaf from Hughes' prying hands.

"Anyways, I'm just here to tell you that you better be careful when you walk around the city late at night. There's a serial killer on the loose reported just a few days ago. Says he only murders women, but still be cautious. The reports say that victims were refrigerated, whether before or after they were killed-"

"I'm not a kid. I can take care of myself." The youngest state alchemist cut off nonchalantly as he flipped a page of his 'borrowed' files.

"You just turned twelve a couple of weeks ago."

"So? I have metal limbs and can kick ass."

Hughes sighed in defeat after that, crossing his arms as he gazed at the wooden lines of the table in front of him in contemplation.

"And Alphonse is gonna be alright too if that's what you're worrying now. As for Catherine, she can pretty much kick ass too for someone who doesn't have automail." The blond added as he turned to read another page.

The topaz-eyed soldier breathed in more defeat, his shoulders slumping as well. _Kids nowadays…_

"I know that Edward, but I'm an adult and a father for that matter. I can't fight the instinct to worry about kids like you."

"Mr. Edward Elric?" At the mention of the name, both Hughes and Edward turned to see a soldier standing beside the edge of their occupied table.

"What is it?" The called person asked with a half interested raise of his brow.

"Someone's waiting for you outside."

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A lazy sigh came from Catherine's lips, adjusting the bag strap in her shoulder for the umpteenth time, the two heavy, alchemy books inside that Al was asking her to bring were getting heavier by the minute.

She wasn't that weak, but these books are insanely huge to be called normal.

"Why didn't he bring these books before he left earlier anyways. I bet that tin can just hates me today." The red head murmured her thoughts begrudgingly.

Catherine continued her unenthusiastic stroll in the Central HQ corridors with that thought in mind, pursing her lips and adjusting that stupid strap higher to her shoulder yet again as she did so.

"Oh my God, wow!" The young female alchemist stopped in her steps when she heard that shriek which was made by a familiar voice from that familiar girl jumping in front of a blue truck.

"Winry?" She asked just to be sure, but that long smooth blond hair really looks like the Elric's friend…

In answer to her call, the blonde girl turned around, her blue eyes looking at her in process before it turned into glad recognition. "Catherine! It's been a while! Where's Ed and Al?" Winry asked as she approached the other girl with a bubbly hop in her steps.

"Uh, I don't know. But I'm actually going to Al right now. He's on the third floor's mini library."

"Oh, how about Ed, where is he?" The eleven year old asked with a tilt of her head.

"Uh, I don't know. I haven't seen him since this morning."

"Oh, I see." Winry trailed off, her mouth forming a small pout.

"Anyways, did you just come here all the way from Reseembool?" The Ederson girl inquired, fumbling with the strap that was slowly sliding from her shoulder again.

"Yeah, I took a three-day train. I heard Edward passed the examinations. I'm just here to congratulate them. And stay here for a few days." The blonde girl answered then pointed at her suitcase sitting on one of the stair steps. Catherine narrowed her eyes at that.

"So you're that excited to see them that you're jumping up and down in joy? Central isn't that great. Especially this boring white building." The crimson-eyed girl commented with a wave of her hand.

"Oh no, it's because of that beautiful thing over there!" Winry answered with pure happiness that Catherine haven't heard in a while as she watched the Elrics' childhood friend ran excitedly towards the blue, refrigerator truck.

"I didn't know Central already has these babies. They're one of the newest inventions in the whole country. I want to study it and take it all apart, it's so beautiful!" The blonde shrieked in serious delight as she swayed here and there to admire the dull vehicle.

_Beautiful? _Catherine can't help but to sweatdrop. "So Edward's not exaggerating when he calls her a machine junkie." She admitted quietly as she continued to watch Winry walk and jump around the inanimate truck.

"You taking that apart might pose a problem though." A different female voice said and both eleven-year-olds snapping their heads around in surprise.

"Oh no, I mean, of course I wouldn't take it apart without permission. No! I mean, I was just checking it out since it's a new model of truck and…" Catherine sighed as her friend rattled out her excuses.

"It's no problem, you can check out the inside of it if you want to." The woman with reddish, messy hair and blood stained apron said genuinely, her smooth smile somewhat not going with her roughen face.

Catherine raised a brow at her, as one of her hands was somewhat hiding behind her…

"REALLY? Oh my God, thank you!" Winry practically yelled in glee as the woman opened the huge back door of the truck, cold smoke coming out of it. Without a second of hesitation, the thrilled mechanic stepped inside.

"Hey Winry! Just wait a minute, just don't go on ge-" The young alchemist words drowned at the back of her when she felt a heavy pang on it, her consciousness scattering around her mind like broken pieces of mirror until she fell forward on the ground with a thump.

The woman smiled mischievously over Catherine's body, the large bat she used on the girl's head clutched tightly in her hand.

* * *

Ok, I know I don't have the right to leave you with cliff hangers since I haven't updated this in a loonnngggg while, but…what can I say, I'm still stuck with a minor writer's block. I still have no idea what will happen next to this. So, to all my readers, so sorry. I've been a little depressed since my term grades came out(they are the worst I had in my whole life), so yeah I guessed that made thinking harder too.

But I promise to start the next chapter right away, and hopefully upload it here in two weeks.

There are still a lot of typos up there I think, and some grammar issues, so feel free to criticize! :D Remember, every review makes a writer improve and write more. :D

See you in the next installment! :D


	21. Surprise Visits II

Chapter 21 – Surprise Visits II

_"Hey Winry! Just wait a minute, just don't go on ge-" The young alchemist words drowned at the back of her when she felt a heavy pang on it, her consciousness scattering around her mind like broken pieces of mirror until she fell forward on the ground with a thump._

_The woman smiled mischievously over Catherine's body, the large bat she used on the girl's head clutched tightly in her hand._

Edward Elric stared at the lonely suitcase sitting at a stair step, the familiar lines of Den's scratches telling him that it is indeed, Winry's. "Where is she?" He asked quietly, the first boil of worriment building up inside of him. The soldier looked around, pretty sure that the blonde girl was beside her suitcase a few minutes before he left.

"She was just here, sir. I told her to wait here." The man around his twenties answered, getting nervous by the second if this problem will be blamed on him. The twelve-year-old blond swept the place with more glances, taking note the fresh tire marks on the ground. And…

A screw.

Walking towards it, he bent over to pick it up with his fingers. To confirm the familiarity, he removed his right glove and compared the screw to the one his automail had on the front hand. A replica. It's Winry's, no doubt about it.

Standing up, he squinted his eyes as they trailed to the tire mark's path. It was leading somewhere behind the headquarters. After that, he dashed off to the black path of tire marks.

"Sir Edward Elric wait!" But the soldier was too late. The Elric already disappeared when he cut a turn to the left of the backside of the building.

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Disturbing, throbbing pain in the skull.

That was the first feeling Catherine felt as soon as she dared to open her eyes upon regaining consciousness. And to her luck, it only got worse once the dim light cut through her eyes straight to her aching brain. "Another fucking concussion." She murmured as she recognized this familiar pain in her temple.

"Catherine?" Hearing her name, the red head girl tried her very best to move her head towards the direction of the voice, her blurry vision slowly clearing up as she saw some corn-yellow hair and blue eyes. "Hey? Are you alright?" The voice asked once more.

"Winry? 's that you?" She asked weakly, closing her eyes again as she felt another ring of pain inside her head.

"Yes, it's me. Thank goodness you're awake now. You've been ou.." Winry's next words trailed off her hearing as she bobbed her head up and saw the girl completely. She was standing in a tiled chopping table, hands chained together above her head through a metal line of chains where large heavy meats were hung. Feeling her hands immobile, she turned her head only to see her hands chained apart, the metal constraints screwed somewhere in the wall above her.

She sighed. This indeed brings back memories. "We have to get out of here." The blonde girl whispered.

"I know. We will, somehow." Catherine half assured, looking around to find something useful. She has no bracelets now that she can use to draw a circle with. Dammit.

"What's wrong? Can't you use alchemy somehow?" Catherine frowned. She just had to point it out. "I can't with these chains holding my hands like this. I have to clap my hands to transmute." Winry frowned at that as well.

"Then what now?" The Rockbell asked, her eyes searching for the kidnapper cautiously.

"I'm going to need something I can draw a transmutation circle with. So I can break through these chains first." Catherine answered in a low voice, taking note that at least this time her feet are free of restraints.

"Okay sounds like a plan." After a few moments of looking around, she found a small knife beside her feet, sharp enough to cut through the cement wall.

"Cath, I found a knife." She informed.

"Ok good, kick it here." The eleven-year-old simply mentioned.

"Idiot, that'll make too much noise!" Winry pointed out as angrily and quietly as possible.

"Do you want to freaking die here?" The girl in question clasped her berates at that. "But-"

"Just kick it! We have no choice but to push our luck." Obeying, she pushed the knife off the bench with a slide of her feet.

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_-clang. _Edward hastily twirled his body to the direction of the sound, his breath visible before him in cold white smoke. He walked further into the refrigerated basement_._

"_There's a serial killer on the loose reported just a few days ago. Says he only murders women, but still be cautious. The reports say that victims were refrigerated…__"_

He remembered Mr. Hughes' words ringing in his head as he felt his left hand getting colder and colder. Could this be it? The murderer's den? The murderer who killed Nina?

A shivering breath.

He swiftly shot a look to his left. Ed was sure it was coming from that way. Squinting his eyes to force them to see through the dim light, they caught something moving on the farther left. "Who's there?" He addressed as calmly as possible.

When he received no response, he decided to move towards it, his steps making small splashing sounds against the puddles of meat blood. He finally halted when he reached closed enough to see a woman curled up behind two large cow meat hanging by the metal chain line.

"Hey miss? What's wrong?" Edward asked, as he saw her shiver and bowed her head even more. "Don't worry I'm going to get you out of here. Are there others trapped in here too?" He received a hand pointing to the right as an answer.

Edward quickly followed the direction. "Where? What at you pointing?" He asked as he looked about. "Hey-" He cut himself off when his view was blocked by a butcher's bat coming fast towards him…

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"Aaauughh..." Golden eyes opened at the sound of a scream. Ignoring the panging pain on the side of his head, he opened his eyes, blinking a few times from the headache-causing light above him. Commanding his hands to massage his pained temple, he felt something tug it back. He didn't need to turn around to know that he was indeed tied back in the chair he's sitting on.

"Edward!" Someone whispered/shouted, causing another pang of headache to knock on his head. Looking about, he saw Catherine chained against the wall, her arms restrained separately above her head. "Good, your hands are tied together." He heard her say, irritation boiling up inside of him upon hearing that.

"I won't be surprised if you just planned this for fun." The blond alchemist snarled, then stopped himself from saying anything else when he saw Winry chained before him, her words murmured under the cloth strapped over her mouth.

"Winry?" He saw her blue eyes answer his call, panicked and scared. Gritting his teeth, he turned his angry look to Catherine, who stared icily back at him as always. "What the hell is she doing here? She's supposed to be back in Riseembool!" He almost shouted.

"She came here to surprise you, but her overflowing love for machinery brought her to trouble." She simply stated then gave a pointing stare at the young mechanic, who bowed her head in apology.

Growling in frustration, he just began to tug his rope relentlessly, having no idea on what else to do.

"Well, well, the kids are now done with their naps I see. Should we start the lesson now? Hmmm?" Three heads turned around in shock.

"Who the hell are you?" Edward Elric growled, feeling the beads of sweat at the sides of his face as reach his right hand over his pocket painfully.

The woman smiled mischievously, her yellow teeth grinding profoundly. "What matter here is who you are, Mr. Edward Elric." The referred 12-year-old soldier squinted at that, losing his focus on getting that thing on his pocket as he listened to her somewhat husky voice.

"Or should I say, Mr Fullmetal Alchemist." Another voice said that statement, but coming from the same body. The three children widened their eyes together as they watched the woman remove her wig.

A blond man, with hysterically mad blue eyes.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM US?" Ed hollered, frustrated at their state. He knows they can't die here, not like this. But he doesn't know how not to.

The butcher man looked sharply at him, his eyes shining murderously. Grabbing the butcher knife beside him, he strode slowly towards Edward, until he was looming over him.

"Oh, calm down Mr. State Alchemist. You don't want to have another automail arm, do you?" He hushed against his face, the sharp edge of the knife sitting between his shoulder and arm, cutting through his flesh leisurely.

More sweat dribbled down Edward's face.

"Mmm! Mmmnn!" Winry tried to retort from behind, her eyes pleading the man to stop. Smiling delightedly again, the mad man raised his melee weapon from Edward's torn flesh then swept his feet to face Winry, who looked back at him with pure terror.

"What did you say? I didn't quite hear you." He asked rhetorically, watching in delight as Winry cower in each of his step.

Catherine took the time then tried to get Edward's attention by jerking her head. Seeing it in his peripheral vision, Edward turned to the redhead and saw her flashing her eyes to him and to his hands. He gave her the smallest nod he could do.

"Do you want me to take your parts apart now? Hmm?" The blonde girl cried mercifully when the man pushed the knife against her neck, blood slowly forming around it as it cut through the girl's skin.

"Don't touch her!" Catherine shouted, her chains clinking soundly at her anger. Pulling away tiredly once again, the butcher complained, "Why does everyone want to be chopped first? I'm going to knife all of you equally, don't worry." He assured, swinging his large butcher knife around.

"You're a fucking lunatic." The Ederson girl informed, as if it wasn't already too obvious. "Oh have I heard that a million times already. From that soldier, my friends, and even my wife." He admitted, swaying his way back and forth with his friend knife, sanity absent in his eyes.

Three pairs of eyes widened at that.

"Why are you doing this? You're just going to be imprisoned for this." Catherine pointed out. The blond man laughed hysterically, as if Catherine told the funniest joke in the world. Wiping his eyes from laughing tears, he was suddenly in front of her, his knife holding her chin up.

"And what makes you think you're getting away from me alive, hmm? You all will just be my meat, frozen, stocked in my refrigerator." He hissed, loving the fear dancing around her eyes.

Trembling at the closeness of death practically beneath her neck, Catherine tried to look at Edward and his progress. She saw him still fumbling about.

_Come on, Edward._ She thought then felt the knife cut through her neck. "Fuck you." She hissed in pain, bringing a wide smile on the man's face. "Meat like you shouldn't be killed easily. I'll take my time with you." He withdrew his weapon from her blooded neck then drew another cut on her left chained arm. She mustered her pain in a growl. "I'll start with those pesky arms of yours." With that, he pulled back, bracing for a big chop.

Blue light emerged from behind Edward, turning his chains into a long pipe. Alerted and distracted by that, the man completely pulled away from Catherine. "Why you little!"

"Edward, run!" The redhead hollered, then kicked the murderous man off her, who stumbled to the floor then up again to run after Edward. The little kid can't escape. No one escapes from him.

The Fullmetal Alchemist picked up the transmuted pipe then ran, the butcher man with his murderous chopping knife closely tailing him.

"Mmm! Mmmmmm!" Winry cried, clearly scared for Edward as him and the crazy man disappeared somewhere behind them.

"Don't worry, Winry. I'll get you out." Catherine assured. She glanced up at her chains and pressed herself to think something. _C'mmon! I have to get out of here and help Edward and Winry._

She then noticed a small pointed screw keeping her shackles intact. _There we go._ With that, she began to scratch a small circle against the wall.

Stumbling from a blood cow flesh lying at the floor, Edward Elric rolled to his right just in time to dodge a melee chop from the blond butcher, who didn't stop there and chopped on all directions, which Edward dodged with cuts and barely with his life.

Gaining his footing again, the terrified child ran for his life once more, transmuting his automail arm into a sharp weapon while doing so. Feeling the enemy closing behind him once more, he blindly swung his armed limb, successfully bruising the butcher's hand with a large bleeding cut.

With that, Edward ran again, but the man didn't run after him this time, for he was mystified by the blood flowing from his own wound. His own meat.

Fear ruled over Edward's system as he continued to run, and run until he tripped on another chunk of animal meet. He cried, feeling the helplessness building up inside him. The man will surely catch up with him, and when he does, he'll surely...

"Edward!"

In fear and instinct, Edward swung his transmuted automail arm at the direction of the sound. He heard the skin tear apart, but when he looked up, it was Winry, a large wound cut through her abdomen.

It brought the greatest fear on Edward's eyes.

A\N: Yipee a twist! Haha. For my readers, I'm sorry that it took me a long 2 years to update again. I'm so sorry. This was the first time inspiration struck me again. Anyway, thanks for those who still look forward for the updates of this story. You guys are the reason why I still keep writing 3 Love you guys 3 Till next time :)


	22. Tools

A/N: I have no excuses this time but the fact that I lost my touch of inspiration up until I started writing this chapter again days ago. Sorry if it took too long, I put a large twist in the story so it's like building another scene from scratch. So yeah, lol. Thanks for those who still supports this story! I love y'all so much. 3

Chapter 22 - Tools

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_"Edward!"_

_In fear and instinct, Edward swung his transmuted automail arm at the direction of the sound. He heard the skin tear apart, but when he looked up, it was Winry, a large wound cut through her abdomen._

_It brought the greatest fear in his golden eyes._

Edward stared at the dribbling blood flowing freely from Winry's abdomen, the long slash of wound made webs of fear appear along the edges of his golden eyes.

Winry took a step back from the impact, the sudden gush of pain made her look down to her stomach. Fresh, thick blood draining freely from the wound.

It was okay, she was used to blood and wounds, and the pain wasn't tingling that much.

It was until Edward's kneeling figure finally registered to her senses; his automail shaped into a deathly knife.

And it was stained with blood.

Her blood.

"Edward..." She whimpered, that sight blowing her the true pain of the gushing wound when she fell down to her knees. Such short time have passed and she's already starting to feel the dizziness from blood loss. Winry then wrapped an arm across the long cut across her stomach.

_Pressure, apply pressure_. She shouted weakly in her mind as she remembered what her granny taught her in situations like this, fighting the thoughts of dying.

Edward continued to stare for a few moments longer, still not entirely believing that he is the one who did this to her.

He almost grated his teeth out of his head when he finally noticed the blood in his automail.

"Brother! Winry!" Alphonse's worried call echoed through the silent basement. The sound was distant and numb to Edward's ears as he tried so hard to move his muscles to help his mechanic.

His bestfriend, Winry.

But one screaming thought kept stopping him from doing so.

_I did this. I did this to her._

"Edward,it's...it's okay. It's not your...your fault. Please don't-" Winry almost fell face first to the cold floor if her other arm hadn't caught her weight, the other one still desperately clutched to her ribs, the blood overflowing in her forearm.

The blonde girl slowly looked up to her friend's eyes which were dancing with guilt-driven fear, her pained expression not helping to drive it away.

"Don't blame yourself." She whispered her eyes drawing assurance.

It was the kindest and most pitiful look Edward has ever seen. How could she say that in _that _state? How _dare _she say such things! Scrambling with his arms and legs, Edward made his way towards his wounded friend, locking his eyes on those strong blue eyes as if it was his life line.

He gently grabbed her shoulders and laid her back on his arms. Edward felt the bile rose up inside him when the smell of fresh blood hit his nose.

"Not...your faul-"

"Don't talk anymore." He hushed her, his grip tightening around her frail, slackened shoulders.

"Al! Al, we're over here!" He called out, which was eventually followed by a, "Brother!" and a couple of clanking steps.

"Brother!" Al cried when he saw Ed's back. He momentarily stopped when he saw Winry in his arms, the front of her top ripped and red with blood. He hurried his steps after the shock then kneeled in front of the two.

"We need to get her to a hospital." His brother pleaded Al with such desperation that cut off the raging questions he was about to ask. Instead he just nodded, his eyes glowing with stern understanding with a hint of anxiety that only an Elric could see. "I got help from the Major Hughes' unit once the last officer who saw you reported. Cath was in time too to lead the way. They have probably apprehended the criminal by now." Alphonse softly stated as he gently lifted Winry from his shaken brother's arms.

"It's alright, Winry. You'll be alright." He reassured down at her, her paling lips curving into a small smile.

It took at least four hours for both the police and military administration to sweep the basement for possible corpses that the murderous butcher might have hidden during his months of killing spree and question Edward and his friends. Upon stern persistence about getting Winry first to a hospital before any questions could be asked to any of them, Hughes promised that the Rockbell girl will be immediately brought to one of Central's prestigious hospitals.

With Al agreeing to come along with her, Edward finally agreed to be asked as many questions as they want, both by the police administration and Hughes' team.

"I'm sure glad that's over." Catherine breathed out as she watched the last pair of police officers walked out from the small office they were situated in for questioning. Stretching out in her seat after sitting stiffly for two good hours, Catherine threw a hesitant side glance to the silent boy beside her; his eyes fixed on his knees and his knuckles buried in his thighs.

He has been quiet most of the time, making her answer all of the indirect questions thrown at them. Edward only answered yes or no questions, and especially stiffened at the question of Winry's condition. The Ederson girl sighed heavily at that.

"I'm sorry." She blurted out, breaking the long silence. Edward lifted his head to her, puzzled.

"She persisted to be the one to go check on you. I should not have let her." The redhead girl explained, her eyes darting down with remorse.

The Fullmetal Alchemist looked away then closed his eyes. The last thing he needed is for someone to share the guilt. He should let himself be selfish with all of these culpable thoughts. "Will you just stop taking blame for yourself? It's freaking annoying." He spat out then opened his eyes to glare at her.

Catherine raised a brow at him, a little relived that at least he's making some noise now rather than being a paralyzed, sulking child, though she got a bit vexed about how he perceived her apology.

"Says the one who does the very same thing." Edward winced at that. Standing abruptly with white curled fists at his side, he stomped his way towards the exit. The least he needs now is to burst with unnecessary anger that not even Al could tame. "Shut up." He bit out stubbornly for good measure before completely disappearing from the room.

Generally tired from all that happened in a span of a day, Catherine blew out a long sigh. "Just how many stubborn people could I get associated with?"

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"The cut was long, but not deep enough to cause internal bleeding. A few stitches then she can be up again." Dr. Smith, a man with clean combed black hair contrasted with gentle blue eyes informed the two brothers, who was both staring worriedly at Winry's sleeping form. Aside from the bandaged bruise hidden beneath her sheets, her wrists bore purplish marks from being bound with chains. Fatigue lines were also drawn in her young face.

"When will she wake up?" Al asked in behalf of him and his brother, who knitted his brows in anxiety.

"Over fatigue and mild trauma must have worn her out so she'll be out for 8 more hours or so." The doctor answered, which brought some kind of relief to Edward's eyes.

Catherine listened to the whole conversation beside the hospital room's door, her shoulder and left arm decorated with white bandages.

"You and your lot should rest as well for tonight." Dr. Smith regarded towards the bandages and growing exhaustion of Edward's limp form standing beside the bed. With that, he left them to their privacy. "Just call the nurse if you need to renew your bandages." He mentioned to Catherine before trudging out of the door, not missing the matter that these patients who were brought by military agenda are merely children. The world really is constricting for children to grow freely.

Ear-shattering silence filled the white room, indicated by the ticking clock hanging in the wall "You two should go rest. I'll look after Winry." Edward finally muttered after being silent for hours. The dark circles under his brother's eyes made Al hesitate. "But brother-"

"Please, just let me do this." The young boy pleaded, his golden bangs hanging over his face. Pestering silence blanketed over the three children once again, with Alphonse hanging in indecision.

Catherine slumped her shoulders, pretty drained out herself. "Well, I'm heading out. I'll wait for you at the lobby, Al." She mustered as gently as possible before quietly exiting the room. It was an indirect push for Al to oblige.

Glancing at his older brother, he saw that another argument will be too much for his tired physique. "All right, I'll see you in the morning." Al whispered, knowing well that Edward needed some time alone. A lot has happened to them these past couple of weeks, and Winry adding to it is something that hit his brother hard.

With one last look, Alphonse clanked his way out of the room, leaving Edward to be eaten in silence again, Winry's soft breathing suddenly coming to his ears. Pulling a chair to the bedside where he sat, he then decided to watch his friend until he saw her eyes flutter open with life. Sleeping will just bring him nightmares of that never happening again.

His body was completely unmoving, only the golden hues of his eyes flicker with sadness and aggravation. Aggravation to himself and how trouble always find him, and pull his loved ones with it for that matter.

He left Riseembool without teary, thoughtful goodbyes because of one important thing – safety of the people he considers as the only ones left to him. His knuckles curled angrily over his knees at the thought of it, his frame shaking.

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Alphonse stopped when he reached the sofa where Catherine was sitting on. Looking up in acknowledgement, she never missed the overflowing worriment filling the seven-foot armor. "Don't worry about Ed. You know how he handles his guilt-trips." She said with a small, tired smile.

When Alphonse didn't budge at that, the redhead stood up then knuckled Al's chest plate, startling him a bit. "C'mon, let's stroll for a bit. I've never really looked around Amestris' capital city yet since we came here."

It was a white lie that didn't slip from Al, seeing how she looked away shyly while saying that. They have been in Central for almost a year now and with her restless self it's impossible that she hadn't walked every street in Central yet. Still the idea brightened up Al like giving a sweet treat to a kid. So he nodded his helmet, his eyes glowing with cheer.

The two walked around the streets through the busy lines of people, companionable silence shared between them as they swept gazes at the beautiful city lights around. They came around the water fountain of Fall of Xerxes, which caught Catherine's attention for a moment before walking pass it to pace beside Al once more.

"This is a pretty flashy city, isn't it?" Al commented, his helmet clacking when he turned it to gaze around more. Catherine gave a silent answer, her red eyes darting around in approval. They walked two more blocks before Al halted beside a glass pane of a certain shop. Among the other accessories hanging around the display window, a simple string necklace caught Al's eye, especially the little bottle hanging from it as its pendant. There was a bit of sand inside the little bottle where a tiny lavender flower was planted on.

Alphonse's glowing red eyes stared at it for a few moments, deeply pondering until Catherine's sharp "Oy!" cut him off his reverie. "What's keeping you there?" The redhead girl questioned from a few paces away, a red brow raised at him with inquisition.

"Uh, nothing." Al excused with a bit of a quake in his voice which made Catherine's brow rose a millimeter higher.

"C'mon, let's get something to eat." She said nonchalantly after she felt her stomach grumble. Good thing Al was a few steps away or he might have heard it and remark on it again.

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"_It's all my fault. I'm such a bad luck to all of you." _

_Winry suddenly found herself in a familiar living room. Her house's living room, she confirmed when she saw the Granny Pinako's pipe smoke fogging the window. What was strange here was Edward, or more like an older version of Edward sitting by the sofa, his eyes set somewhere on the floor. An armor, which was Al as she had recognized, stood beside the seat._

"_It's all my fault." He heard him repeat that sentence again, more quietly this time. But the weight of pain that it brought to her only doubled. How many times does she had to tell him that it is not his fault? _

"_Stupid Ed! I told you it isn't your fault!" The Rockbell girl hollered, fists curled in her sides. The two people before her didn't budge with attention, as if her shout was nothing but air. It burned more anger into the girl's blue eyes._

"_Hey! Didn't you hear me? You jerk!" She stomped a few steps towards them, with her now standing in front of them. No response. _

"_I'm sorry that I couldn't save her, and now not even be able to get your body back." She saw Edward shake with remorse, with Al sitting quietly in his seat, his hard armor unmoving. Gritting her teeth with confusion and aggravation, she shouted, "What the hell are you doing, Al? Tell him he's wrong!" Now it did take her back when the gentle suit of armor didn't plead him any word. Are they doing this on purpose or…_

"_Al!" Winry called out once more then reached out to shove him for the jerk he's starting to be. She was then utterly surprised when she saw her hand go through the thick metal of his gauntlet. Shock crawled all over her as the rest of her body stumbled forward, moving past through Al's armor and the chair he's sitting on like air particles. _

"_What the-?" Her thoughts jumbled and rolled, not a clue on her mind on what was going on. _

"_How could you save her when you're the very one who killed her?" She finally heard the younger of the two speak, the unfamiliar venom unbelievingly lacing in his words. The blonde girl spun around, seeing that the two brothers have really no knowledge of her existence with them right now._

_A flicker of reflected light caught her peripheral vision. Turning her head around, she saw the altar she and her granny made for her deceased parents, their picture together polished in the middle. It was a moment later that she recognized that there were already two picture frames inhabiting the altar._

_The other one being her picture as a young eleven-year-old girl. _

"_I-" She began to stutter, dumbfounded eyes dancing with confusion and fear. Fear to believe what she's seeing is true. "I'm dead." She finally stated, the thought of it breaking her piece by piece._

"_You're the very one who brought me to this kind of trouble, so there's no way of you saving me. So it's better this way. It's better to give it all up, Brother." Winry saw how those harsh and sharp words killed Edward inside and out. _

_This can't be happening. Al would never blame Ed for what has happened to them. Never._

"_I know. That's why, it's better to end it all this way." Winry's eyes motioned back to Edward upon hearing those dark words. He was suddenly on his feet, his automail arm forged into a deathly weapon._

_The same weapon that ripped her stomach…_

_Upon remembering that, a jolt of unnerving pain came to her abdomen, making her stumble a bit to clutch it with her arm. Winry looked down and saw a blood decorating her dress. She forced her attention to go back to Edward, and widen her eyes in terror when she saw his weapon so close to his neck. His eyes was hidden from her through his long golden bangs, but the straight line forming his lips said enough. _

_Blood began to trickle down his neck when he pushed the sharp tip harder to his skin._

"_NO DON'T!" Winry cried in desperation, knowing how that would hurt more than the pain she's in now._

"_I'm alive, Edward! So please stop this!" She begged with tears, but the boy was not hearing any word from her._

_So he slashed the weapon across his neck, blood spluttering everywhere._

"_NOOO!" _

Winry almost jolted up right from her sleep when the pain in her stomach made her slump back in pain. Hissing from the panging sting in her belly wound, the Rockbell girl fell back to her back and clutched the pained area, only to feel the fresh, warm bandage wrapped in her abdomen. She tried to raise her head to peek down but a ring of head ache pounded around her temples.

"Winry." She heard a hushed call coming from her side. It was from Ed. She was too preoccupied with the pain that she hadn't noticed his presence. It was the same 12-year-old Edward she knew, not the grown up Edward she saw in her dream...

Suddenly recalling that, Winry's eyes widened and glistened with tears. The Elric saw how his friend clutched the blankets around her with her blue eyes watering. He swiftly got up to his feet and closed the distance between himself and Winry's bed. "Hey what's wrong? Is your wound hurting?" He asked in a gentle voice that Winry only hears when he's worried about her fever.

"Let me see your automail." She ordered in a weak, dry voice. Edward hesitated with a confusion at first, but set it aside as he wouldn't want to tire Winry with any trivial argument. Obliging, the Fullmetal Alchemist lifted his right arm then rolled the sleeve of black leather shirt, showing Winry that her masterpiece is in well shape if not the best.

Having that in thought, the blond boy's eyes quickly searched for a glint of a wrench, knowing too well that Winry can give a real beating even in injured state. So he was then taken by surprise when he saw Winry sigh in what seem to be relief. He sat on his chair beside the bed then moved it closer to the bed, all the while watching her carefully for any mood swings.

"So, you're not gonna hit me with a wrench?" He dared to question, scrutinizing how her expression seem to not waver close to anger. After the scratches on his automail that he had shown her, she's acting like this? Edward Elric observed her even more, his brows knotted with puzzlement. She seems to be...forlorn.

"I'll do worse than that if I hear you blame yourself for anything." She taunted in a shaky voice. The silence that answered her made her head snap to Ed's general direction. She almost teared up when she saw him looking away with that dejected look of his, his mismatched hands curled in his knees. "There's no one to blame but...but me." Edward stated clearly while still looking at the room's doorknob, avoiding Winry's blue gaze.

He could've remained that way the whole day if he wanted if it hadn't for the hard blow wrung to his blond head. The Fullmetal Alchemist shouted in pain, feeling the bump growing in his offended scalp.

"Dammit! That hurt!" Edward growled back at the girl who glared at him in the same ferocious way.

"You started it!" She argued with a flail of her arms.

"Started WHAT?" The other spat with his face closer for emphasis.

"Everything!"

"Oh so you blame me for everything now!" Edward berated more and almost regretted it when he saw how Winry's aura turned dark again. Well she started it, he can't be sorry for winning this time.

"I don't blame you for anything, Ed. Not even for this." The older Elric shot a look at his childhood friend, a mixed emotions splattered in his expressions.

Winry gripped the sheets at her sides, tears threatening to fall again. "You always blame yourself." A flashback then came to her. A memory of Ed in the surgery bed as she and her grandmother connect his automail for the first time. On how he cried about Al blaming him for everything instead of the unbearable pain of the operation.

"Not even Al blame you for anything, Ed." A tear finally cracked the walls of her eyes and Winry started crying softly.

Edward grunted, fists curling in his knees. She's crying again. Damn this all.

He really really really loathe it when she's crying. It's annoying and it makes his stomach knot and churn.

Winry's cry slowly turned into sobs, her shoulders shaking now. She then suddenly felt a hand on her head, laying there for comfort. She looked up and over Ed's arm only to see his golden eyes looking away again.

"I'll uh...take you shopping. When you're feeling well already of course." He suggest in almost a whisper, lines of blush decorating his cheeks.

Winry blinked at him, then slowly smiled.

It relieved Edward more than ever.

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A loud crashing clang echoed through the Elric apartment's backyard when a leather boot kicked against a sturdy metal arm, making the owner of the foot back-flip back to the ground.

Catherine grounded her teeth before lounging herself up again, looking at her armored enemy in annoyance. Running wildly towards him, she jumped at the last minute to avoid a side kick towards her body then used that momentum to deliver a powerful pound with her connected hands, which was quickly blocked by Al's crossed, large arms. He pushed her back then swung a directed punch which she almost didn't dodge before she landed on the ground once again, panting.

This has been going on for hours and her armored sparring partner is not even heaving in any sort of way. "You gotta have to be tired in some way after all that, right?" She asked in a hitching breath.

"Even in my normal body I wouldn't be that exhausted yet. Your attacks are very straightforward. All I do is dodge, actually." A vein popped in her forehead at that before she sat on the grass and sighed, her hands submitting in defeat. "Ok, you win this time, tin can." Al laughed at that before retreating beside her.

"I told you I was just caught off guard last time." He reminded, which made the redhead girl growl.

"Do you really have to rub it all over my dignity?"

"Did I rub enough for your growing ego too?" Catherine shot a warning look at him, with which he refrained from saying more of it. "Ok, I'll stop now." He dismissed with a laugh, clearly entertained by this.

"You're the one who suggested it and now you're complaining?" They heard a female voice shrieking from inside the house, a loud bang of the door followed after.

"I said shopping, not BUY the whole street!" The two perked their ears when they heard Edward shouted angrily before something began to scratch against the floor.

"I didn't buy the whole street! I just bought something from each!"

And the back and forth berating and shouting went on for a couple of minutes before the two eavesdroppers got bored of it like it's some kind of an everyday radio drama.

"What are they fighting about now anyway? They fight about almost everything." Catherine mentioned, her chin on her hand.

"Sounds like Brother took Winry shopping, for tools."

"Tools?" Catherine asked, a bit surprised.

"Yeah, you must know Winry by now. She's a real avid mechanic."

"Yeah I know, but still, tools? Not even a bit of clothes or food perhaps?" The redhead girl tried to reason out the girl's likes with hers, and she did think about how Winry is not that fond of foods compared to how she loves mechanical stuffs.

Alphonse just shrugged at it, completely not getting the idea of shopping anyway. Not that he needed any of it until he gets his body back someday. But he'll just be shopping for cat foods anyway.

Lots and lots of cat foods.

"Well, anyway, I'll go get some food in the kitchen while the knives aren't flying yet." Catherine suggested to herself then stood, feeling the muscle spasms from the spar earlier.

Al merely nodded then watched the girl's back retreating to the back door leading to the kitchen, glad for once that his armor is hiding his smile as a string of a silver necklace escaped his curled gauntlet hand.

* * *

So much Ed/Win in this chapter! Yieee~ Thanks to all the readers there who are still keeping up with the slow progress! Lots of love for you guys 3

Next chapter will be fun so don't miss it! X)


	23. League

A/N: Sorry for the super late update again! But don't worry, college just ended for me so I have a lot of time in my hands to upload at least 2 chapters this time around.

Thanks for all of those who are still following and keeping up with the progress of this story! You guys give me so much inspiration(no joke).

Please take note that from this point on, I will be mixing FMA and FMAB facts, events, etc, for the aim of more fun and entertainment! :D

Chapter 23- League

* * *

It was one chilly Wednesday morning and occupants of the blue and white apartment along the Rodriguez Ave. residence were already quite lively with chattering and clanking of plates and utensils. Yellow light was already emitting from the dining and kitchen area windows where little humming birds decided to rest upon before doing another round of flight around the city.

"Aren't you ever going to learn to drink your milk without making such a fuss?!" A loud, ear-shattering screech filled the whole apartment compound that the birds lying about the windows and trees in the backyard hastily flapped away from the dangerous sound.

Inside the apartment in the dining area, Edward Elric stood from his seat across his blonde friend then slammed his mismatched hands in front of her; the surface of the milk spilling around the glass. "That's a stupid question because I'll never drink that shit! There are better ways to grow than drinking disgusting fluid secreted by a cow!" He hollered back in the same level, his eyes fuming.

"GAH! And you complain why you never grow!" Winry Rockbell shouted in exasperation; her hands pulling strands of hair from her head.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A MICROSCOPIC BEAN WHO CAN'T REACH HIS OWN CHAIR?!"

"I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING LIKE THAT! BUT THANKS FOR THE SUGGESTING A WONDERFUL INSULT!"

Alphonse sighed and passed a bowl of scrambled eggs to an apron-ed Catherine, who was merely ignoring the myriad of utensils and other things that isn't suppose to be airborne being thrown around the dining area; her eyes focused on the sizzling pan of bacons. Flipping the strips of meat a few more times, she finally rinsed the bacon strips with a spatula before placing them on the plate beside her. Quickly draining the pan from used oil, she then plopped a slice of butter to the pan before pouring the scrambled eggs with the other hand. She mixed it gingerly, a hand of command turned to Alphonse once again. "Knife please."

Alphonse walked in obedience and extended his hand over the kitchen island separating the kitchen and dining area. His gauntlet hand waited in the middle of the chaotic storm of objects flying about the eating area for a few seconds before he finally caught a bread knife. Walking over to the cooking Catherine once more, he handed the utensil to her. "Thanks", she muttered then used it to cut small pieces of cheese, dropping them to the half-cooked scrambled eggs in the pan before slowly flipping the layers of scrambled eggs over the cheese bits.

"That must taste really delicious." The armor beside her mused, his red glowing eyes tasting Catherine's new breakfast of the day; deliberately ignoring the continuous shouts and crashing noise behind them. He loves to watch when it's Catherine's turn to cook. Smiling but still keeping her ruby eyes on the cooking food, she promised, "I'll cook this for you when you get your body back." joining the 'Ignore the blonds' campaign.

After a few more stirs and flips of her spatula, Catherine finally lifts the cheese omelet and carefully placed it on another empty plate, completing the breakfast meal of the day. Turning around with two plates in hand, she found herself a front seat view of the still ongoing war of obscene screaming and flying, _dangerous _items. A vein popped in her forehead in silent, growing annoyance. "Hey guys, breakfast is ready. Make way." She said in a clear, loud voice that cut through the noise. Essentially, she was incessantly ignored by the two. Another vein popped in her forehead, making Al a bit nervous. "I said breakfast is ready." She repeated in a much louder and clearer voice, dark aura laced in her voice. She was answered by another long string of curses from Edward as a reply to Winry's previous ones.

"STOP THIS CH-" Her outburst was cut shortly when a plate slammed against her face, staggering her a bit but not enough to break her steady hold of the plates. The plate dropped nonchalantly to the floor, breaking the ceramic into pieces. The shattering sound stopped all movement in the house, eyes of gold and blue staring at Catherine with panic and horror.

"That…was another Xingese plate broken in vain." The two responsible people flinched in unison.

Birds flew away from the blue and white Elric apartment after two loud, consecutive sounds of a fist smacking to a skull.

Silence draped over the dining area as the four children ate their own serving of cheese omelet and bacon, two of them suffering from a large, angry red bumps on their blond heads. "That was uncalled for." Edward muttered in defiance after chewing his second spoon of scrambled egg.

"Uncalled does not justify your early morning routine, you nut heads." The redhead girl fired back with contempt. Edward was about to retort back when another smack in the head stopped him. He turned fuming eyes to Winry who glared back at him with the same intensity.

"Just shut up, Ed." Winry warned, seriousness laced in her voice. Growling for the last time, he pulled his tongue out to flip her off then continued on his breakfast.

"Anyway…are we really just going to hang around like this until Colonel Mustang gives us a mission that can possibly lead us to the stone? It's been two months." Catherine stated. Edward stopped from his ministrations and stared hardly on his meal, contemplating on what his friend said. He's been busy still finding Nina's murderer that he hadn't really noticed the time. Although he's getting paid for it because of the researches he had incidentally made that incurred benefit to Mustang, they're getting nowhere with their sole mission.

Abruptly standing up, Catherine caught all of the attention as she strolled over the living area and picked something up. Upon returning to the dining area, she threw three sets of newspaper on the center of the table. There were papers from three days ago.

"There's a mysterious alchemist code-named Hanabi in Aragon City who said to give healing services to the mass for free." The Ederson girl summarized and the three gazed at the front headlines of the newspapers. They all feature the mysterious alchemist in Aragon, a few witnesses' statements mentioned here and there.

"According to the Amestris map, it's in southeast from Central City. Three days train ride. It might just be some fraud, but it's worth a shot rather than slacking around here, or sulking for that matter." Catherine purposely eyed Edward after adding that bit, who narrowed his eyes; his shoulders tensed. He may have eased up a bit from Nina's death because of Winry(she assumes), but his relentless search for the murderer still clearly tells that he cannot let go.

The hell happened with his moving forward?

Grabbing one from the pile of newspapers, the Fullmetal Alchemist gazed hardly at the picture of Aragon City entrance under the big, lavish headline, "MYSTERIOUS ALCHEMIST IN ARAGON".

"Aragon City, huh?"

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"Now now, who wants to go first in seeing my beautiful and cute daughter's pictures?" Maes Hughes announced after ever so rudely invading the Elric apartment with his instantaneous loud opening of the front door. At the back of his mind, he expected a shout from the ill-tempered Fullmetal Alchemist or a confused stare from the other people in the house who aren't as temperamental as the mentioned person.

Unfortunately, he was greeted by nothing. The Head of the Investigation Team looked around in confusion. They left the apartment with no one watching over it? _Well they did lock it…_ He mentally reminded himself.

In the backyard, reverberating punches of fists bandaged fists against an already beaten up tree bark echoed in the greenly area. Sweat beads gathered around Catherine's forehead and neck as she continued the routine, losing count of the attacks she had made after reaching 100. It was a good idea to wrap her fists with white cloth this time. It somehow lengthens her endurance to punch through the sticking splinters of wood. Her umpteenth punch suddenly halted to hover inches from the beaten up bark then went sailing for a side punch to her left, which was blocked by a defending arm. Well this burglar will give her a fight she's already pumped up for, huh?

"Whoa! Whoa! Chill out, kid!" A man bemused beside her and Catherine turned around to see the twinkling topaz eyes of Maes Hughes.

"Mr. Hughes?" She said in askance, a little dazed at first. Then her eyes widened a little in confusion. "The door…how?" She was pretty sure she securely locked it.

"Erm, I know where you hide your spare key. Third flower pot from the right." The state soldier said cheekily, laughing good-heartedly. Catherine blew out strands of hair that managed to get out from her long braid then sat down on the grass, her mood to continue working out completely evaporated.

"Ed and Al went to Central Library and a little detour to Colonel Mustang after. Winry's buying some food and stuffs for her trip back to Riseembool." She answered his yet-to-be-asked question. She looked up at him and noticed that he's in his military uniform. "You still at work and you went here? For what?" She inquired, truly curious. It's not that she's not fond of the man. As a matter of fact he is quite the father figure. But his insistent buggering is getting in her nerves sometimes.

He reminds him how a child she still is. And she loathes that. Really loathes it.

"Ah, just dropping by, making sure you kids are still holding up on your own. And it gets boring in the office anyway." He answered with a toothy smile. Catherine just raised her brow at him, draping Hughes in a rather awkward position.

"So…why are you sparring with a tree again?" She swore that question has been asked to her for far too many times already.

"Training" She replied simply, playing with the white cloth wrapping her hands. It was Maes' turn to raise a brow at her, trapping the girl in that silent inquisition. "What? It toughens your fists."

"That's ridiculous. Dexterity and flexibility to avoid attacks are as important as one's strength. You can't train those with a stationary tree." Hughes chuckled heartily, which traced an offended frown on the young girl before him.

"What do you know? You just stay in the office." She blatantly retorted back, her lips in a slightly pouting frown. The soldier's eyes turned solemn at that.

"Working for the military is dangerous, whether you're only in the office or in the battlefield." He began then pulled a dagger from his pocket. "Soldiers don't just need to protect themselves, but the people around them as well. As humans, our loved ones is our greatest weakness. Their lives can be threatened by people who go against the state." Catherine quirked a brow at that.

"Who in their right mind would defy the State which practically runs the whole country?" Maes looked at the child, hiding his surprise as to why she is not knowledgeable about the internal conflicts in Amestris. She looked so innocent and somewhat foreign in this place.

"Oh you know…the neighboring jealous countries and such." The Head of the Investigation Team supplied, not completely telling the truth, but not lying either. He yet again got another raised brow.

"Anyway, as I was saying, you should train yourself in a proper way if you really want to protect yourself and your friends. For instance, instead of concentrating on body workout, you should also train and familiarize yourself with a weapon of choice." Catherine regarded what he said, her attention listening.

"Like Second Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye with her gun?"

"Yes, exactly. Her gun expertise does not only protect her but also her commanding officer and loved ones as well." The father-figure Hughes affirmed with a nod. "I, for instance," He added, then threw his dagger to the punched-and-beaten-to-a-pulp tree bark which landed dead center of the bark. Catherine blinked, quite taken aback by this gooey man's capabilities.

"Is very capable with daggers. I trained how to throw them with accuracy for years." He bragged out in a slightly modest way. Maes Hughes smiled brightly as if he just shown her a fancy magic trick.

His face turning grave once more, he started again, "Even as alchemists like yourself, you should learn how to not depend on alchemy all the time. There may be circumstances that you may not be able to use it. Like how Roy couldn't use his fire alchemy in the rain, so he has the need to learn how to shoot a gun from Hawkeye." He turned to Catherine, who was quite dumbfounded by his speech; her lips parting slightly.

For the umpteenth time that day, the soldier beamed at her in a fatherly way, ruffling her hair in the process. "So don't get to too much trouble okay? You're so cute when you're so clueless like that!" He mused with a laugh. Catherine frowned and slapped his hand away. "Touchy as ever." He commented lightly then stood up, a sign that he has to go now.

"So wait," The eleven-year-old girl pursued, her big eyes looking at him, reminding him more of how young she really is compared to how she wants to appear to be. "Yes?" Major Hughes offered another shiny grin.

"Where do you buy this…stuff." Catherine asked with a wave of her hand towards the darted dagger in her tree. The man quickly bent over then shuffled her red head again. "Interested with some toys, eh?" He joked lightly, which was yet again nagged by the younger one with a slap of her hand.

"I'm. Just. Curious." She pointed out hardly. He's easily getting on her nerves, jeez.

He smiled once more again then turned around towards the back door. Catherine was about to call out on him when he finally said, "It's a place called 'Mystic', about four blocks from here." He waved a hand of good luck then disappeared inside, probably going through the front door to finally exit the apartment.

Catherine Ederson looked hardly at the door, her mouth in a straight, firm line.

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"Huh?"

It was all Alphonse could say as he looked at the refrigerator note before him, a box cake and a small pouch in his hands.

_Just went out to buy some stuff. _

_Be back before dinner._

_Catherine_

"So, it's really her birthday today?" Edward asked from the living room sofa. Alphonse nodded then placed the cake box and his small present in the kitchen island. "March 15. It's the date when she finally decided to come with us. I think it's fitting since it's technically the very start of her acceptance of this world." He saw his older brother grinned mischievously towards him.

"Look whose keeping track…" He mused, rather entertained by himself. He swore if Alphonse have his body right now, he would be enjoying himself more to see his tomato red face.

"I'm just being nice. Unlike how you're with Winry." Alphonse replied back hotly with revenge, which successfully flipped the older Elric over. "Why is Winry involved here?" He shouted heatedly which was deliberately ignored by the armored Elric.

He should take her absence as a chance to prepare more for this small celebration, which is basically just composed of a simple chiffon cake from a nearby bake shop and his kind of special small present. He hopes she finds it special too.

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A grunt came across her lips, annoyance written all over her features.

It's been almost an hour of asking around and walking over smelly and dirty alleyways and the 'Mystic' sign hasn't popped up yet. The Ederson girl's misfortune with finding directions is kicking in again, she thought, aggravated.

She thought about going back and giving up this ridiculous, out-of-the-blue mission to buy a weapon, but Mr. Hughes' words reverberated around her head like some echoing sound in a cave…

"_Even as alchemists like yourself, you should learn how to not depend on alchemy all the time. There may be circumstances that you may not be able to use it_"

She narrowed her eyes as it focused on her walking feet, remembering the times when she was rendered helpless when restrained from using alchemy. She surely has to figure out something to not let those pathetic scenarios happen again.

"Dude you went back to that Mystic shop again? Are you out of your mind? The woman there is a crazy bitch." The sudden conversation perked the young girl's ears as she saw a couple of teen-aged boys bickering. She ran and turned to the alley where she heard the voice. Finally, there in front of her and a walking away pair of 16-year-old boys is the Mystic Weaponry.

"But they have awesome shit in there!" Catherine heard the other boy mused before she decided to walk over the old, wooden door. The door doesn't even have a handle, so she placed her palm against the dirty, fading mahogany and pushed the door open. The place was filled with all sorts of hand combat weapons, layers and layers of weaponry, from long swords down to pocket daggers. Keeping her mind intact with her mission, Catherine strode in, the bell above her clinking noisily as she opened and closed the door.

She took in her surroundings, noting how everything does not only looks ancient but also very un-Amestrian, if her knowledge about this country is enough to make such categorization.

Walking over what looked like the front counter, which is mainly another glass cabinet full of ancient and foreign weaponry, the redhead girl glanced around unceremoniously, figuring out what to do. _Should I just pick up something of my choice or wait for customer service? _She asked herself, and picked the latter part since the weapons seem to be secured with lock in their respective places in the cabinets.

"What can I do for you?" Catherine felt her heart almost jumping out of her head. She hastily turned around and saw an old woman.

Scratch that, a 3-foot, very ancient, old woman.

She wore a layered dress with intricate designs of flowers and dragons, a sash of gold around her waist holding the dress. Her shoes, or more like plain, dirty white, flat shoes completed the get up. If Catherine is not mistaken, she looks…

"A Xingese?" She guessed, totally surprised when the woman didn't deny it nor confirmed it and walked over to the counter and jumped to the stool to meet her customer. "Yes I am. I believe a young one like yourself have found the wrong place." Catherine quickly took notice of the accent she has, completely different from Ed and Al, and other Amestrians she know who can speak her familiar language. Now that you mention it how the hell is Amestrian similar to her native lang…

Shaking her head to swat the thoughts away, the redhead girl looked down at the woman (even in her stool she's still so small), "You traveled across the desert just to manage a secluded weaponry shot; and stow your customers away for that matter?" Catherine stated disbelievingly, remembering the pair of boys earlier.

"That is none of your business. And no one patronizes me on how I sell my products." She curtly reasoned out and looked sharply at the young girl, who had taken a step back. _Damn it, why would this old hag intimidate me?! _

"I want to buy some daggers." The Ederson girl stated, cutting to the business in hand.

"I believe you cannot purchase such weaponry." The old Xingese woman said hardly, small arms folded in front of her.

"What? Why the hell not?"

"You are under-aged, and most of all, I don't tolerate kids buying my weapons just to be played with."

Catherine growled at her, irritated. "I can just get what I want from here and run away. You can't catch me with your puny insect legs." She saw a vein popped in her gray head and in a matter of seconds, her face was met with a pair of dirty white shoes, kicking her down to the floor.

"What the hell?!" She cried, cradling her offended nose as she saw the old hag land smoothly before her.

"I especially do not tolerate children with a dirty mouth." Xingese old woman said, hard and immovable.

Catherine growled like an angry animal and slammed a fist on the floor before her. "Don't assume things on your own! I'm not going to use your weapons as toys! I need them to protect my friends!" The old lady's eyes widen from their slits, profound surprise reflecting in them.

"A man named Maes Hughes referred me here himself. I wish he could've warned me about the violent proceedings of purchase first." Catherine mentioned while standing up, once again looking down at the strangely small woman. And before she thought it was only Pinako who could be this small…

"Maes Hughes, huh?" A smile decorated her old crinkly features, lighting some hope on Catherine that she may be able to persuade the petulant woman.

"Well, send my regards to him." Catherine's jaw dropped to the floor.

"Oh come on, lady! Let me buy the daggers in behalf of him! He referred me! Doesn't that mean anything?"

"No."

Catherine shouted in the air. "This is the only place in Central that actually sells decent weaponry, and I don't have enough free time to travel around to look for any. I'll be traveling soon and I need some weapons." She reasoned her gaze hard set on the equally immobile stare of the old woman.

After a few moments, she sighed, as if living this long has tired her so much. "Kids these days…Where can a young child like you travel to that will need high-end weaponry?" The eleven-year-old flinched, then glowered at her.

"It's none of your business." She cut back sharply.

The ancient Xingese let out another blow of exasperation, her mind as tired as her old withering small body. "Seeing that you won't get out of my gray hair even if I use vehement means, I should introduce you to a compromise."

Catherine perked up. _Now we're getting somewhere._

"Here, catch." Catherine almost stumbled over her own feet as she clumsily caught a dagger thrown to her. She examined it, rolling it over her hands. It feels durable, and light enough to throw to a distance.

"That's a Kaiken. Useful as one, deadly when one possesses multiple of those." The old woman lazily walked over somewhere in the back of the counter. "I believe that's what you are looking for?"

Catherine nodded sternly, gripping on the rubber handle of the weapon.

"Come then. We will start the compromise." Blinking for a few seconds, the redhead girl followed the short Xingese to what seem to be a backdoor. When they finally got out, she realized that the door leads to a vast, green, boundless yard. The Ederson girl gaped, a manner that she unintentionally developed after arriving to this store. _I thought this place is built in an alleyway in Central…so how..?_

"Walk closer." Catherine adhered with a little restrain then stopped in her tracks when the old woman raised a hand.

"The compromise is…if you can lay a scratch on me with that dagger, you can purchase as much of that Kaiken as you would desire and if you won't be able to with your stamina, then you won't be able to purchase anything from this store ever again." She started, to which the young girl intently listen to. Sounds fair enough.

"To make things fairer for you, I won't be using my hands to evade your attacks." She proved this promise by folding her arms to her back. Catherine felt her mouth touching the ground again.

"Are you fucking seri-" Her comment was cut shortly by a hard kick to her mouth, sending her scraping against the grass and dirt ground.

"I think I have already told you that I have very low tolerance for children who have a dirty mouth." She reminded in a reprimanding, grandmother-kind of way that it made Catherine blanched from it and from the dirt that had gotten to her tongue. After spitting enough dirt, the young girl smirked and quickly stood up, her hand gripping tightly on the Kaiken.

"I hope I won't get to juvenile for beating up an old woman!" Catherine taunted and lounged her first attack on the old lady, who swooped to the side to avoid it.

"On contrary, I hope I won't get accused of child abuse for this." It only irritated the redhead more, her red eyes flashing with annoyance as she lunged another Kaiken swing.

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Alphonse waited by the apartment window, watching the darkening sky. Catherine has been gone all day and the cake is getting cold, as well as the small present in his hands.

"Don't work yourself too much, she's just wandering around. Knowing her detached self." Edward assured lazily from the couch, eyeing his anxious little brother.

The armor let out a sigh, even though he couldn't even sigh. _Where is she? It's almost dinner time…_

Catherine kicked the hundredth pave stone out of her way, each time with increased aggressiveness. She can't believe she's walking back home now, empty-handed, and shit exhausted and bruised from hours of trying to cut that old fart into pieces.

She recalled over and over again how freaking agile and flexible that crazy old hag is, avoiding her every attack with just a jump and complex twists in the air.

"_Go home and rest. This fight is over." The Xingese woman sternly stated with her back facing the girl on the ground, who is trying in vain to get up. _

"_Hey! We're not done yet!' Catherine cried hurriedly all the while ignoring her bleeding nose. She was about to hoist herself up when the old hag was glowering above her, her tantamount shadow looming over her not matching her actual height._

"_I said ENOUGH!" Catherine visibly flinched at the loudness and force in her voice, her eyes wavering between anger and….guilt?_

The redhead growled at the memory. What the hell is up with the woman?

A familiar front porch caught her out of her reverie as she realized she already reached the Elric apartment. She peeked through the windows and took note that there are no lights inside. _They're still not home?_

Checking the doorknob, she confirmed that it is locked, sign that there isn't really anyone inside yet. She blew a tired sigh and bent over to one of the flower pots and got the spare key. With a few fumbling of inserting the key and twisting the door open and a few incoherent swears, Catherine finally managed to unlock the door.

It was dark and abandoned inside, making the apartment feel too big for her liking. Feeling over the walls for the light switch, Catherine cursed until the bump of the familiar ON lever came contact with her hand.

She then flicked the damn switch on, which was followed by the brightness above.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY CATHERINE!" Catherine Ederson practically fell over her butt, completely and utterly startled.

"What the-" She stammered, looking over the three people on the dining area, paper plates and a cream-colored chiffon cake at the center.

"We surprised her! Hooray!" Winry cheered, clapping both hands with Alphonse. Edward smirked beside them.

"You pretty damn well did." Catherine muttered and got up to her feet. That's like the tenth time she had fallen on her but today. She then smiled, a small, but thankful smile, then walked over to her friends.

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"Enjoying the cake?" Catherine looked up from her place in the grassy garden, her mouth filled with foamy chiffon cake. "Not bad." She managed to say through her chews ensuing a hearty laugh from Alphonse. Joining the seat beside her, the redhead, just turned twelve young girl shot a look at the armor.

"You really decided to pick a date for my birthday. Unrelenting as ever."

"You did say I should just pick. But I didn't choose this date randomly. This is the day when you finally decided to come travel with us." Catherine's fork halted midway in the air, confusion mixing her thoughts. She peered over to Al, who was watching her closely.

"Thanks. At least I have some point of reference now." She said with a small smile.

"Why do you have to look at things that way? You're so weird sometimes." Alphonse suddenly blurted out and Catherine blinked at him. She must be really weird, she realized, since it's already coming from Al.

"Oh by the way, here's your present." Catherine regarded the small pouch in her hands, her fingers feeling its insides.

"Open it." Alphonse pointed out. In adherence, Catherine pulled the end of the knotted string, successfully freeing the bag from its suffocation. Inserting two of her fingers she picked up the real present inside.

She let it hang graciously in front of her face.

It's a necklace, with a small corked bottle as a pendant.

And inside the tiny bottle, is a small shard of the green jewelry she shattered about a year ago; its majestic glow reflecting against the shine of the transparent bottle. She glanced over to Al who is looking expectantly at her reaction.

"You…picked it up." Was all she was able to process at the moment, a neutral trace in her voice.

"I thought you might appreciate it this way." Catherine Ederson gave out a full blown smile at that, her eyes happy.

"Thanks. This is the best birthday ever." She mused, stifling a smirk.

"That's kind of a void comparison since you don't remember your other birthdays." Alphonse cheerily pointed out as a matter-of-factly.

"Point well made, Alphonse Elric. Though I still bet this is one of the best birthdays I have. So thank you, really. No pun included." She raised her hands to show her clean hands, the necklace already around her neck.

They both laughed together, and Alphonse really think this is the first time he truly heard her laugh with joy.

"By the way, where have you been earlier? You said you were gonna buy some stuffs but it seems like you didn't carry anything back home." Catherine almost frowned at his incessant observation.

"They were out of stock."

"Of what?"

Knotting her brows, she tried not to appear to be thinking of something. "What's your plan about Aragon City?" She asked, driving the attention away from her.

"Oh right! Brother and I decided that we should take the train going there first thing tomorrow! He got an approval from the Colonel too. It seemed like there really is no assignment that can be assigned to him right now." Alphonse ranted out while Catherine's eyes glazed over with her own thoughts.

_Train…to protect your friends._

"It's a good thing we celebrated your birthday first and all-"

"Al." The cheery armor halted from his animation. "Cath? What is it?"

She looked at him, her eyes dark and heavy unlike earlier. "I'm not going with you to Aragon City."

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Old Lady Yuki puffed clouds of smoke after exhaling enough from her pipe, relaxing at its smell. It's so nice to blow one's pipe during a chilly Wednesday morning.

"Obaasan, you're smoking so early in the morning again. You might not live up to 120 years at this rate." A boy of fifteen years scolded from across the yard, his sweat from wood chopping glistening his body.

"It's not like I aim to live to my hundreds. My current age is ideal for death."

"Obaachan! Stop being so morbid! You know how much I need you in my life." Hendrick pouted at her, his blue eyes twinkling with love.

"Shut up, you big baby." Depressed lines covered the poor brown-haired teen. His grandma is as loving as always.

"Hey Obaasan, you were really harsh on that kid yesterday. You can clearly see how determined she is." Hendrick stated with sympathy over the child because of his grandmother's petulant and hard-boiled attitude.

"She's too young to understand anything about protecting and fighting. She should avert her interests on other things. Like dressing up." As if on cue, the girl on topic appeared by the harshly opened backdoor of the Mystic shop, her eyes wide and her stance determined.

She ran over to where Yuki was sitting and knelt before her, her red head tucked under her praying hands.

"Please, be my mentor."

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Earlier that morning….

"Are you sure about this?" Alphonse asked, searching for a way to convince her to come with them instead. But her hard and determined eyes emitted such conviction that he knows that there's no turning back for her now. This is a decision she made.

"Yes I'm sure. I will stay in this apartment of yours so you can call me from the phone if something comes up. I will just be training with a mentor." Catherine Ederson answered firmly. Edward and Winry merely nodded at Al, who still wavered with mixed feelings about all this.

"I need this, Al. I need to be able to fight with you guys. I know that it will be a rough way towards finding the Philosopher's Stone, so we're going to need this. I need to protect the people around me. People like Nina." Red eyes darkened and became sullen from the memory of it. Edward and Alphonse reciprocated the reaction, playing in their own minds the last memories of little Nina.

"I will only be training with her for a short while. So I can just travel to where you guys are at the moment."

"Okay." Was Alphone's sulky reply.

"We better get going, Al. Winry also has a train to catch, too." Edward reminded. He turned to Catherine and nodded at her knowingly. She nodded back. "Don't get into too much trouble."

"Say that to yourself." Edward barked back lightly, which earned a grin from Catherine.

"Until then. See you later." The three turned on their backs and walk the pathway towards the main city where the train station is located. She watched them for a few moments later then was patently shocked when Al's big armor turned around suddenly.

"Promise me to convince your mentor to train you." Catherine's eyes widen. _How did he…_

"We have a mentor before, and it took us time to persuade her. And from what I can see, you haven't convinced this teacher yet into training you." Alphonse stated as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. Catherine lightly laughed, curtly amused by his boundless sagacity.

"Don't worry. I think I can handle that. Thanks for noticing those simple details." She said, which radiated a metaphoric glee in Alphonse's armor.

"See you later then!" With that, the Elrics and Winry continued to walk, and this time none of them turned back anymore.

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"First you force me to sell my goods to you and now my nonexistent education? Your buggering knows no limits, young one." Yuki berated with a puff of her smoke. Catherine looked up from her ground, eyes blazing with fire.

"Please! You have to teach me how to fight. I need to learn how to fight." Catherine can't believe herself as she heard herself begging like this again.

"No you don't. Fighting is not for children."

"I need to protect that's why I need to fight!"

"_You don't have any inclination about protecting! You're just a KID!" _The Ederson girl's tongue haltered from the outburst of the old, frail woman, though her eyes were steady, firm and unwavering. They stared for a long moment, red eyes fighting with black ones. Catherine didn't stagger back as she lifted herself up to her feet.

"I have a sister, who died in front of my eyes months ago because I couldn't do anything to protect her. I was weak. And that weakness caused her untimely death." Her fists were curled into tight balls now, her eyes glistening with unwanted tears.

"I have to remove that weakness, so it won't happen again to the other people that I care the most." Successfully fighting back the tears, she raised her chin up and sharply gazed at the woman sitting before her, who was looking at her with mild wonder.

"And I promised to one of my friends that I will become your apprentice! And I will not leave this place until I get at least a compromise!" Hendrick and Lady Yuki were taken aback with surprise at her sheer determination and conviction, her red blood eyes staring ahead.

Hendrick slowly turned to her grandma, who has her head bowed. "Obaasan?" In a slow, heightening way, laughter erupted from the small, ancient body of the Xingese woman. Catherine stared at her, dumbfounded and quite humiliated.

"A compromise, eh?" She asked, bits of amused fits still coming out of her. "Will you take any compromise then?" Catherine straightened her already straight stance, looking firmly to the woman's eyes. "Whatever it takes to be your apprentice." _It should be bearable like the last time…_

"Ok then, from now on, you will be calling me, Master Yuki."

* * *

Yay! One long chapter! Next chapters will be start of our teenaged trio adventures so tune in! Thanks for all the support and loving reviews again. Hope to see you guys in the next chapters :D The compromise between Master Yuki and Catherine will be revealed in the next chapters so be sure to keep up! :D


	24. Liore I

A/N: Hey everyone, here's the next installation. The real fun pretty much starts here. Enjoy!

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Chapter 24 – Liore I

_4 years later…_

"Colonel Mustang."

Onyx-haired head shot up from a stash of paper works upon the call, eyes drooped with boredom. "What is it, Breda?"

"More paperwork." The chubby, brown-haired soldier announced nonchalantly and walked over to add another ream of sheets to Roy's already exploding desk. The colonel sighed. Will this day ever end?

"Also, here's the report from Major Edward Elric about the Fernin assignment. Status is cleared." Roy Mustang's pointed eyes squinted at the report of the country's youngest state alchemist. His eyes then travelled to the new stack of papers brought in for him.

"From?" He asked with a wave of hand towards the anonymous bundle of paperwork that obviously didn't need any sign from him.

"From Second Lieutenant Fury, sir. Research results." Breda replied in his brusque voice, winking at the colonel. Smirking, Mustang picked one sheet from the new pile. After a moment of quick scanning, he ordered, "Tell Fullmetal to stay put."

"On it, sir." With a salute, the soldier turned his back to make his way out until he was stopped in midway by his commanding officer's "Wait."

"Call Second Lieutenant Havoc for me." He added, then leaned on his swivel chair like a contented businessman.

"Got it, Colonel."

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The door slammed open, letting shimmers of hot sunlight pour through the apartment's living room. Grunting about how hot the weather is, sixteen-year-old Catherine Ederson slammed the door shut behind and trudged her way towards the ridiculously cushiony couch. Propping herself and her sling bag on the lavender sofa, she thought how this crap piece of sitting furniture can be so heavenly after a day of hard training and work.

Trailing red eyes over the contours of the ceiling fan, she mentally cursed herself for forgetting to turn it off before she left this morning. Maybe this explains the inexplicable increase of the electric bill Edward was sassing about.

A loud, complaining growl from her stomach interrupted her further thoughts. The red-head girl frowned in disdain. "Food." She moaned, and quickly thought that such entity has never touched this household since the Elric brothers' last stay. That was months ago, when they had an assignment here in Central.

She should just eat out in a cheap Xingese restaurant Hendrick introduced her just like she always do, but with the heat dragging down her bone-tired body, she couldn't possibly walk for another block. Wiping a bandaged hand over her sweaty brow, Catherine pulled herself up and walked over the kitchen island, hoping for some miracle that food may pop out on top of it if she prayed hard enough.

Aside from a stack of mails and some old newspapers, the island was empty. Moving on, she walked further into the kitchen and checked the fridge. Empty.

First top cabinet. Empty

Next cabinet to it. Empty.

Cabinet she never opened before. Not empty if she'll be desperate enough to eat the mouse trapped inside it. Before she could think of frying it, it scurried pass her arm. She sighed in defeat and closed the cabinet door.

_Footsteps. _Catherine's trained hearing told her and she quickly turned around, gazing lazily over the kitchen island.

His own heavy breaths were the only sound that sounding his ears, heart pounding as he slowly slid his back on wall of his hiding place under the staircase. _She couldn't possibly have heard me. _He assured himself, willing himself to move invisibly towards the nearest table, leave the Colonel's message, get the fuck out of here and be on his date. He's done this a couple of times before so why get nervous now? The recipient is just a kid!

_Fuck this, I'm getting late! _

"Ah, pests." Catherine bemoaned, which brought some relief to the man in hiding. _Great, she thinks it's just a mouse or something._

Catherine walked over to the drawer for utensils. Sliding it over, the man saw her get something from it, something that glinted even from the poor lighting of the apartment.

It was a knife.

The soldier felt himself gulp through his dry throat.

"Come out, you little vermin." He heard her say with mixed torment and pleasure which made him slid further in his hiding wall. She's talking to a rat? Is she crazy? Nothing was mentioned to him that his recipient was a crazy chick.

"You're not the first one to sneak over this territory so come out before you lose any appendages." She said in a cold and as-a-matter-of-factly voice which made the man in black's biceps and honed abs shiver. _She had burglars before. And god knows what she did to them. Fuck, I'm dead. _

Catherine's eyes swept sharply to her left, right over the side wall of the staircase. After a moment, the man saw her walked pass his wall, a small breath of relief that she didn't notice him came out of his mouth. He continued to watch and saw her back on him. Apparently, she still hasn't given up this tag game.

Sighing in exasperation - she really thought the vermin will just show himself - she spun the knife around her fingers then threw it behind her. As expected, an indignant shout resounded under the staircase where the knife has probably landed.

"Oh fuck! Are you crazy?!" A masked man berated; his sweaty blond locks coming out of his disguise. Catherine raised an eyebrow at him. Something was familiar about him. Was it his voice? His blue eyes?

Then she saw the white envelope in his hand.

Before she could even ask, the man removed his mask, showing the familiar, and pissed off face of Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc. Catherine blinked at him.

"Oh hey, Jean. Why are you here and what's that on your hand?" Upon hearing her casual question, not to mention the disrespectful and casual addressing, Jean Havoc propped himself on the nearest chair and glared at the teenager.

"Well, the Colonel ordered to me to deliver this to you _cleanly _but seeing your impulsive flexes to kill any creature, I can't very well do that anymore." With that, the soldier tossed the white envelope to the redhead girl across him who caught it in midair. It was quite thick.

"Well for starters, you could have just _cleanly _knocked on the door and hand it over to me like a normal person instead of sneaking inside like some fucking burglar. Besides, that attack was just meant to incapacitate you, you wuss." Havoc almost gritted his teeth off his head.

"Besides, the colonel just calls me whenever he needs to pass some message for the Elric brothers. Why change his style now? Did he get bored or something?"

"Listen kid, when you're in the military, nothing can be done _normally_. This is a…confidential assignment for Edward Elric and he's entrusting you to pass it on to him as soon as possible. You can't pass it over the phone since it might be tapped so you have to pay him a visit as soon as you can."

Opening the envelope, Catherine took the first paper in the pile and scanned over it. In summary, the Colonel wants Edward to check this city called Liore.

"Okay, but…" Havoc leaned his aching back on his seat, clearly tired of hearing anything from her anymore. "I still don't understand why you have to sneak inside like some scared, desperate burglar."

"It was necessary to keep me and yourself safe! Connections in the military can't be exposed just like that. And I was _not scared!_"

"Oh, well thank you for trying. But you were really scared so tell the Colonel to not order you to do something like that again, Jean." She suggested as she folded the paper back to the envelope.

"For god's sake, I was only startled! And it's Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc to you!" Standing up, he started to stalk angrily towards the door. He's late for his date and he was just unworldly offended by a kid who is not even legal to drink in a bar. Best day ever.

"Say hi to the Colonel for me." Catherine said before Havoc pulled the door shut behind him.

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"Remind me, Al…" Sixteen-year-old Edward started after his long silence spelled by his moans and grunts, which kind of worried Al.

"What is it, Brother?" Al said as he ceremoniously paced beside his older brother.

"Why are we walking in this godforsaken desert again? Are we in hell already?" The Fullmetal Alchemist managed to breath out as his slumped form pathetically heaved its way in the sand, the blazing sun adding weight to his already downed shoulders.

"We have to meet Catherine in Liore." Al reminded, hiding his exasperation. If Edward was suffering from the desert heat, his soul is being tortured by his brother's incessant cries and complaints.

"For what?"

"She said she'll tell once we meet her there, Brother. Weren't you listening before?"

"How can I listen with this heat she makes us go through?!" Edward moaned dramatically and fell over the sand face first. It was fluffy but was hot as the Mrs. Hughes' oven.

Edward didn't care one bit.

"She didn't make us walk through this desert. It's your fault for scaring off that cab driver." Alphonse Elric pointed out. Upon remembering that horrible incident, Ed shot back to his feet and fumed, "HE CALLED ME SHORT! NOBODY GETS AWAY WITH THAT!"

"Alright then, stop complaining and get moving." Edward's slumped form came back as his armored brother passed him.

"Ahh but it's soooooo HOT! I can't transmute water with all this dryness! I'm hungry too! So hungryyyy." Edward continued with his ministrations of desert doom and sway his way around.

Then fell back again.

"Carry me, Al." He pleaded in the sand, his face being cooked again.

No answer.

Lifting his frowning face from the sand, Edward looked around the void of endless sand. "Al?" Edward forced himself up, not a little worried.

"Al? Al! Where the hell are you?!" He cried angrily, cupping his mouth with his mismatched hands.

"Right here!" Edward heard from below him. Seconds later, something grabbed his ankle and yanked him, making him fall again to the ground face first.

"I fell again." The sand-muffled voice of Alphonse apologized meekly.

"What the! Why do you keep falling, dammit?!" Bemoaning, Edward started digging for his brother.

After an eternity, Alphonse was once again above ground, a heaving short blond beside his nonchalant armor.

"I…guess….carrying me…isn't such a good idea." The sixteen-year-old concluded between labored breaths.

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"More orange juice, Miss Ederson?" The scrawny, middle-aged bartender of the city swooned with a raised eyebrow. Catherine gave him her smallest smile.

"Yes, please. Thank you, Richard." Flipping her long braided red hair to her back, Catherine took a sip from her straw, feeling the cool juice rejuvenate her dry throat. The old man kept pushing her to have a real drink the last time she was here, so she's glad he found his senses after yesterday's knife throwing.

"So, what are you doing in Liore, little missy? Still not done with your tour?" The man inquired while wiping the counter in front of her.

"Just waiting for my friends. This is our rendezvous point." She explained as casually as she could. _My name should be not associated with this matter. This is the only favor you fellows can give back in exchange for this information. _She remembered the words in the Colonel's letter.

"A city in the middle of a desert?" It may sound like a suspicious question, but the glint in his voice made Catherine shiver.

"Don't you have a wife or something?" She finally asked, irritated.

"Nope. Single and available." Richard said with both of his brows dancing. It made Catherine want to tear his face with her kaiken.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A MICROSCOPIC BEAN THAT CAN BE FRIENDS WITH THE BACTERIA!" Something shouted, the words loud and clear as the heat waves of Liore City.

"Sounds like they've arrived. See ya, Richard." With that she hopped down from her stool and walked over to the commotion where the angry yell came from. Upon reaching the Red Fountain, she saw Alphonse staring at her with a greeting smile(if he had his body right now). In his large gauntlet hands is a kicking and punching Edward Elric, who has his murderous eyes on a pair of construction men who apparently called him a bean.

"Hey Catherine! Sorry it took us so long to get here." Al said, still taking a steady hold of his wild big brother.

"It's alright. So what happened here?" She started, pointing at Edward.

"Brother freaked out and thought the fountain has water, but it was red wine after all. And these guys accused him of illegal drinking, which is really not the case-"

"He really does not look old enough to be even fifteen." Cut off a bulky man in dirty muscle shirt.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SHORT?! LET ME AT HIM! LET ME AT HIM!"

Alphonse sighed. It's not even noon yet and it feels like it's already been a long day.

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As Alphonse let his older brother sip his umpteenth orange juice, the armor looked over his friend Catherine whom he hasn't seen for almost six months. Noticing the stare, the redhead girl craned up her neck to look up at the seven-foot armor beside her.

"What?" She almost snapped, which startled Al a bit.

"Ah, nothing. It's just that this is the first time you actually arranged something for us to meet, even though it is in the desert for some reason." Their friend hasn't really told them the real reason why they wanted them to rendezvous. Unless it is really for some warm, or rather, hot reunion.

"Of course there's a reason I called you guys out here. Who would want to stay in a desert for even a day?" She pointed out, almost whining that she's been here for almost two days waiting for them.

"Then why the hell meet here? We could've just have met at Central!" Edward Elric whined from Al's left, throwing his jacket-covered arms in the air.

"I said _there's a reason for this." _Catherine repeated, her tone indicating patience shortage.

"So, Miss Ederson, you're friends with some street performers? Don't tell me you're a street performer yourself?" Richard butted in cheerily, leaning over the counter, which made a redhead girl glare daggers at him and a blond boy to spit his mouthful of orange juice. "Those flat shoes do look like something I'd seen on a stage play!" He continued even more, and seconds later a real dagger just flew millimeters away from his cheek.

"These. Are. Not. _Performer's shoes. _They concentrate the point of chi in feet. Want me to try it on you?" She gritted in between growls. Richard shrunk back with cold fear. "Cath, no daggers in public please." Al reprimanded lightly, sighing in exasperation. She's still touchy about the shoes her _sensei_, as she would call her, made her wear for her training.

"WE ARE NOT PERFORMERS! What? Do we look like clowns to you?!" Edward followed, veins of annoyance popping in his temples. "Brother…" Al's tired hand hover over his older brother who might just transmute his automail into a gun if the bartender says anything…careless.

"Then what are you guys? Tourists or something?" A new butt-in asked. Catherine looked over and blew out a breath. They can't start being suspicious.

"Come on guys, let's go to my inn. I have something to show you." With that she hopped down from her stool and walked towards a block road.

Glancing at each other for moments, the Elric brothers followed suit, leaving the unanswered citizen. "Yeah, we're tourists! She's going to show us around! See ya!" Alphonse politely answered before running after his brother and friend.

"Mustang…did he send you here?" Edward asked after he gained the same pace beside Catherine, who just side-glanced him. "Good guess. I'll show you more in the inn. It might be too dangerous to tell you here." The Fullmetal Alchemist frowned profusely. Knowing the Colonel, this might be a mix of one of his 'benefiting' missions and a tidbit about the Philosopher's Stone. Though no matter how small the latter subject in this is, he has to give it a shot. It has been four years of his military service and he and his brother only found themselves in wild goose chases.

"Hey!" Three heads turned around and saw a girl with black hair and pink bangs waving at them. "I see you're still here! And you brought friends!" Walking towards the trio, Catherine merely stared at her with bored eyes. If it wasn't burglars or perverts, she hated noisy girls the most.

"Guys, this is Rose. She, uh, showed me around yesterday. Rose, this is Edward and Alphonse." She waved slightly as she did the introduction. From the two brothers, Alphonse was the first one to bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Rose."

"We better get going now. They're tired and all. I'll be bringing them to my rented inn." Catherine cut off and walked pass her, signaling Al and Ed to move with her. "See you later, Rose." Edward greeted and walked with Al, who bowed again politely. Rose looked at their retreating backs, smiling. Ever since that day with Father Cornello, every day was happy for her.

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Placing the last sheet of paper on the coffee table, Edward looked at the pile of read ones, elbows resting on his knees. "A priest that performs miracles."

"That pretty much says it all, huh?" Catherine said from the other sofa seat.

"We could give it a shot brother. It's been a while since we got a tab from the Colonel." Alphonse suggested, his red eyes hopefully glinting merrily.

Edward frowned, guilty. He promised to bring his body back as soon as possible. And that soon took them four years. And counting if this is just some stupid mission the Colonel Bastard gave to them so that he'll earn some more credits in the state military.

"Oh, before I forgot. This could be interesting to you." The Ederson girl started and walked towards the room's dresser. Getting a radio, she placed it on the coffee table. After fixing it to the nearest plug, she said, "I recorded some of the aired talk from this Father Cornello from yesterday." The brothers now noticed the transmuted configurations around the radio. She pressed the power button and the stream began.

"….why, citizens of Liore. Pray to me, Son of Almighty Sun God Leto, for prosperity and wealth and health will not only be the ones that will be given to you for doing so, put the power to bring back the death will be in your hands as well for I, the Son of God Leto, will bring forth this power so the City of Liore will prosper not only for decades, scores, millennia but for all eternity! As long as you praise and serve the Son of Leto, no evil shall befall you! Not even the evil of this country's state military fo-"

After that the sound became static, indicating the end of the recording. Catherine turned the radio off and leaned back on her seat. "Sorry, that was all I got. His babbling was too long and boring anyway."

"Bring back the dead, huh?" Edward mused, his golden eyes squinting.

"Sounds interesting." Alphonse agreed staring at the radio then to the stacks of report papers from Colonel Mustang. "Could it be…Philosopher's Stone for Human Transmutation?"

"I don't think a meager priest like him can do that." Standing up, Edward strolled over the room's window, which actually overlooks to the city's cemetery. Weird for a town of eternal life to have such a big cemetery, not that they need a cemetery at all if this Father Cornello's promises are true. Unless…he really does perform Human Transmutation. At that thought, Ed shook his head. He already learned that the dead cannot be brought back to life. He and his brother learned it the hardest way possible.

"I say we check out this Father Cornello figure, and ask him some questions."

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A fingernail of at least ten inches traveled slowly over Cornello's fat cheek, making him sweat deliberately on his forehead. He looked up to see the owner of the monstrous finger smiling mildly at him. "How's the Philosopher's Stone, Father Cornello? Did you put it to good use?" A female's soft, seducing voice reverberated inside his hammering chest. These monsters always put him in a corner and scare him with their unworldly, demonic powers.

He let out a laugh. A laugh for himself for obtaining power from the alliances of the devil, but this is for his big plan. The biggest plan of his life.

"Of course. I've garnered the people of this city to give up their lives for me because of the stone." He answered, and almost sighed in relief when the violet-eyed woman pulled her finger off him.

"I can see that. But you're not hiding the stone well. Someone might take it from you. Someone from the military, perhaps." Her snaky voice crawled all over his spine, leaving a chilling fear at its stake.

An urgent knock on the door interrupted them.

"Who is it?" He snapped. He told those scoundrels to not disturb him when he's in the office.

"It's Henry. I'm sorry to disturb you, Father, but I have terrible news." Cornello gritted his teeth. What could possible happen in the middle of the desert that he couldn't fix later?

"Henry-"

"Go on. Take him in." The black haired woman told him, and disappeared in the darkness of the room. She and her fellow freaks of nature always disappear in the darkness in one swift motion. It tormented him during his sleeps.

"Come in, Henry." With that order, a tall man in thick brown robes entered the office, closing the door behind him. As he stiffly stalked towards Cornello's table, the priest could see the troubled expression on his face.

"This better be important, Henry. I have a lot of-"

"A dog of the military is here, in the city." Cornello's slit eyes stretch open at that, his interlaced hands tightening.

"Do you have any information of this dog's identity?" He asked as coolly as he can. He cannot show to his pawns that he's scared of the military. Not that he's really frightened, for he has the stone of God Leto.

"Yes sir. Sources identified him as the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric."

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The huge, wooden church doors slowly closed shut behind them, too slowly for Al's comfort. The seven-foot armor looked back quickly and stared at the closed doors that screamed trapped to them.

"Brother, are you sure we're allowed to go in here?" The younger Elric asked in a small voice, clearly uncomfortable inside the clammy and isolated old church.

"Of course we are. This is a public place for religious ministrations and such." Edward blanched off the last words. He hated anything that is related to God. Yes, especially the people who pathetically think he exists and makes the world go round. Alchemy is the only possible way that could possibly make the world go round, not to mention transmute it into something else entirely. Not some nonexistent figure of power.

"There must be some entrance here to the priest's chambers." Edward said thoughtfully, looking around the massively decorated altar of the Sun God Leto. The god's statue soared to the church's high ceilings, his hand holding a sun staff.

"We have to hurry. It won't be long before everyone discovers you're in the city. This Father Cornello has apparently hypnotized most of them to hate state alchemists. And with your infamous fashion, I bet we're already spotted since yesterday." Catherine stated as she bid on her own finding of the possible chamber entrance.

"What the hell is wrong with my fashi-" Alphonse's strong gauntlet hand grabbed Edward's whole face, shutting him up. "Don't be too loud brother, someone might hear us!"

That being said, the large church doors creaked open. Three heads looked over from their places to the intruder, silently thinking of a plan to knock him out.

Rose entered the church halls, a wide smile on her face. "Oh! So you guys finally discovered Sun God Leto's church! Welcome! Have you already said your prayers?" The girl chimed, her cheery voice bouncing off the church walls.

_Noisy bitch. _Catherine thought, and hated Rose more for coming in today in an annoyingly flowing white dress like she's some pure sacrifice to this Leto cult. She sure is happy if she really is.

"Actually, yes. I'm interested in the Leto religion and I would like to say some prayers." Edward kindly said and gestured his mismatched hands in a prayer position, which made Rose's pink bangs bounce in delight.

"I would be happy to tell you some of the Leto religion!" She offered and marched towards Edward, leaving Al and Catherine behind to stare at each blankly from across the aisle. Shrugging, Catherine followed suit and sat on one of the pews.

Edward watched as Rose placed some flowers on altar's front, her eyes closed as she says her silent prayer.

"So why do you pray?" Rose opened her eyes and looked at the pew behind her where Edward was sitting, his leather-clad leg on top of the other. Aside from his short stature, which she figured out to be a touchy subject for him after his outrageous spectacle of her innocent comment about his height, the sixteen-year-old girl decided that the boy was dashingly handsome, with those golden eyes matching his flowing blond hair. He has an athletic build too, which is prominent even in his thick clothing. But something else was pulling about him. Something deeper in his intriguing and determined eyes.

"I pray for my loved ones. For Father Cornello said that if I pray enough, they will come back from the dead." She sincerely answered then looked up at the face of the Leto monument.

After a moment of silence, a bitter laugh from the Fullmetal Alchemist occupied the halls. Shifting in her position, Rose looked at him, dismayed.

"Brother." Alphonse scolded. He had long before understood his brother's resent for religion, but honestly, he should be more respectful.

Catherine stood up from her pew, sensing this won't be pretty. Edward always has a knack for converting everything into a day worth of ruckus.

Grabbing something from his pocket, Ed produced his small notebook where he takes down some of his alchemy notes, bookmarks protruding from the top. Opening it at a certain page, he began to read,

"Water 35 liters. Carbon: 20 kilograms. Ammonia: 4 liters. Lime: 1.5 kilograms. Phosphorus: 800 grams. Salt: 250 grams. Saltpeter: 100 grams. Sulfur: 80 grams. Fluorine 7.5 grams. Iron 5 grams. Silicon 3 grams. and trace amounts of 15 other elements." Cutting off his read with that, the state alchemist became more satisfied when he saw the girl's angry yet confused expression.

"What is that?" She managed to ask.

"It's all the ingredients of the average adult human body down to the last speck of protein in your eyelashes. And even though science has given us the entire physical breakdown, there's never been a successful attempt at bring a human to life. There's still something missing. Something scientists haven't been able to find in centuries of research." The Fullmetal Alchemist explained then stood to his feet, mismatched hands on his pocket. _Something we weren't able to give mom. _He woefully reminded himself as he remembered his transmuted mother in his dad's lab floor, reaching for his help.

He sharply looked at Rose's way, and there she saw in his eyes the thing that pulled her to him. "So what makes you think that hack job priest with his parlor tricks is going to be able to? And in case you're wondering… all those ingredients can be bought on a child's allowance. Humans can be built on the cheap. There's no magic to it." The strength in his voice was unnerving. Confusing her years of faith.

Rage boiled up inside her; fists curling in her sides. "If there's no magic, THEN WHY DON'T YOU BRING SOMEONE FROM THE DEAD!" She dared him, black eyes fuming.

Catherine skid her left foot to the side, scanning the vibrations to confirm the earlier feeling. _Running steps. _She thought and looked back at the church doors.

"Trouble's coming." She announced and the Elric brothers took their stance. "We can't attack them. They might lead us to the chambers." Nodding, Edward stared at Rose, who was still red-cheeked from her outburst.

"It's just a matter of time Rose. Science will find a way. Science is the answer to everything. If I were you, I'd drop the scriptures and pick up an alchemy book. We're the closest thing to gods there are." That did it. Rose flung to him and grabbed him from the sides of red jacket.

"You are not a god! You are nothing close to it!" She shouted at his face, which only looked at her with grave pity. It vexed her even more. "And neither is the sun, Rose." He started again, his breath brushing her cheek. She didn't let go of him as she took in that look on his golden eyes again. He snatched himself back and backed away from her a bit. " It's just a mass of hydrogen. Get close to it, like Cornello claims, and you'll just burn."

A loud burst in the church door echoed everywhere, followed by the resounding steps of five to eight men in brown monk robes.

"It's them! Get them! And the girl too!" Henry ordered and the men behind him, who charged obediently on the aisle towards the teenagers.

"Hey, go easy on them." Alphonse reminded his two companions, who are keeping their edge in their steady stances.

Catherine stepped in the aisle, facing the marching robed men. These should be done as cleanly as it can be if they want information and discretion.

"Drop your weapons and put your hands in the air." The man in the middle ordered as he produced a gun, pointing a gun profusely at Catherine. The teen obediently raised her hands, taking a step forward infinitesimally. "I don't have any weapons."

"Cath…"Al said worriedly. The enemies are too close and each has a gun. Not good for her.

"Can we talk first? We're here in peace." Robert looked down at the sixteen-year-old girl who stands barely in line with his chest. He told himself that he still shouldn't let his guard down.

"Don't go easy on them just because they're kids! They're pawns of the devil!" Henry's order assured him from behind. His eyes flew wildly to his gun when he saw the girl's small hand gripping the barrel.

"There's no need for this, let's talk first." She suggested more firmly. He gritted his teeth.

Catherine heard the click of the gun. She sighed mentally. _Oh well._

She spun a semi-circle and elbowed the man's extended forearm, which made him shout in agony and drop the gun. Kicking him in the gut, Catherine jumped and pounded the man in the head with connected fists, slamming him to the floor which cracked from the impact. That'll be out cold for three hours or so.

"Come on, Al!" Edward screamed and ran to help Catherine, who stood still as two men pointed guns at her.

Before the man on the right could move a step closer to her, an automail hand sliced on top of his head, bugging his eyes out before he became heap on the ground. Chopping a gauntlet hand on the last man's forearm, making him drop his gun and fight Al in a hand combat.

Which lasted for seconds once Al's fist connected with his skull. The man joined his comrades on the cold church floor.

"ALL OF YOU! GET THEM!" Henry ordered angrily and five men charged after the trio. One of them quickly drew out his gun and shot.

Al's armor clanked to the ground, his head disconnecting from the rest of his body to roll off.

"Alphonse!" Edward screeched and glared at last of the robed bastards. Catherine glanced over Al's body, then at the men. They have to get at least one of them to show where Cornello is hiding, if he's anywhere in this church.

_Don't priests live in the church? _She dodged an almost square hit of one of the robed gunmen. Seeing his other arm going for another swing, she caught it in mid-swing and with a quick twist of it, the wuss cried in pain, Catherine threw him over her shoulder. Seeing he's still squirming for consciousness in the floor, she raised her feet and slammed a solid heel kick on his stomach, knocking his air and remaining senses out. _Never gets old._

Edward just finished his with a hard, automail kick on the gut. Just to make sure, the state alchemist met the man's fall with an upper cut to his jaw, sending him to dreamland for a good couple of hours.

He scanned the room. Three more, two with guns.

A loud screeching scream came from behind them. All looked at the direction of the shout and saw a headless armor up on his feet, flailing its arms blindly on its front. "My head!" Alphonse cried.

Edward ran over where Al's helmet lies then toed it to the air and caught it by its strings of hair. "Al! Catch!" Throwing it as hard as he could, it hit the man near Al in the head. He slumped to the floor before Al caught his head and put it back on his armor.

Henry looked at them, repulsion and terror as he saw the hollow armor move and talk. "THEY'RE MONSTERS! FIRE AT THEM NOW!" The remaining men began to rain bullets at them. Dodging them as much as humanly possible, Edward ran towards a wall. "Al! Protect Rose!" He shouted, seeing that the men had gone mad and will kill anything.

The familiar clap of Edward's hands echoed around the room before he slammed them to the wall. Blue lights blinded the men and seconds after a double door materialized over the empty wall, monstrous curlicues and shapes designing it.

The Fullmetal Alchemist threw the doors open and the trio ran for it. Before the men could follow them, Edward slammed it close and made it disappear with alchemy. The pounding and scuffling of the enemies on the other side were already muffled. The sound of safe.

For now.

"We're supposed to have one of them shown us the way! Now what?!" Catherine berated as they found themselves in a maze of hallways. Oh how she hates getting lost.

"Well, I saved your asses. We'll figure something out!" Edward spat back and scanned the area. Armed rouges were heading their corner. "Hide!" The trio slid to an abandoned hallway; watching the laughing group of men passed their way.

Alphonse looked down at his chest plate. "Sorry Rose, but stay in there for a while. We'll bring you to safety." He assured the girl who is probably half-conscious inside his armor. He felt like a kidnapper.

Catherine glanced at the backs of the retreating rouges from their corner. "They might lead us to Cornello if we scare them enough." She suggested.

"Right, I'll do it." With that volunteered, Edward charged towards the men.

It wasn't long before Ed's evil cackling was heard with the tormented screams of their victims. Catherine and Al sweatdropped. "He's enjoying this too much."

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Edward kept a wall on his right as he feel his way through the flight of stairs. By the time he reached thirty, he lost count of how many steps did they already went down. According to the endless darkness ahead even after the minutes of feeling their way through, the dungeon ahead is still pretty deep.

"The door's nearing." He heard Catherine's quiet voice from his behind, who scuffled down as silent as he could never be even with his original limbs back.

"What? Your twinkle toes could see through darkness?" He half-teased and half-inquired. His friend had somehow gained some 'twinkle toes' as he would tease after acquiring her 'doll shoes'.

"Say that again and I'll put a hole on your head right now. You're helpless in this dark." She mused tonelessly, though the iced threat was there.

Ignoring the Ederson girl, Ed continued his lead and took more than one deliberate step at a time, his eyes somehow adjusting in the dark now.

"Something's growling. If we're nearing anywhere, it's most likely a cage of animals. Luckiest bet is Cornello might be an animal lover." The Fullmetal Alchemist sharpened his ears and tried to signal it to hear any sounds.

Nothing.

But there are faint sounds coming ahead of them.

"The rouges might have tricked us." Al proposed; his clanking steps slow and careful for the sake of the woman inside him.

"Can't you ask her if this is the right way?" Edward suggested, referring to Rose.

"She's still unconscious."

"The rouges were scared enough to lie to us. One of them peed his pants off while he told us this location." Catherine tried to reason, but with the eeriness of the dark walls, her thoughts were wavering as well.

"If ever we find Cornello through this, just remember that it is in Colonel's orders to seal any holes of uprisings he could lead Liore to. We can't just get the stone and bury him alive." She reminded which got a scowl from Edward.

"Since when did you become the Colonel Bastard's loyal puppy?" He asked scornfully, which probably earned a non-caring shrug.

"He pays me generously. I don't want to cut my only money supply."

"You're such a cheap stake."

_Tap._

Edward's boot made contact with wood. He grinned triumphantly.

"Bingo, guys." Clapping his hands, he ceremoniously slammed them to wooden plank in front of him and burst it into pieces. Faint light gathered around them as the opening greeted them.

The trio stepped inside and took in their surroundings. It was an arena, with the complete brown and rough cemented floor, ginormous cages built in side walls and an elevated slab of decorated altar at the front. A round window was built just a little above it, letting the world's sunlight pour light into this small underground world.

"I'm pretty sure this isn't his office." Catherine concluded as she let the brothers walk ahead of her; eyes staring at the silent cages on their sides. She can hear breathing and a bit of growling coming from them.

As the youngest state alchemist let himself be poured into the light of the room, he finally saw the entirety of it, along with the white robed priest standing tall in the arena's judge stage. He was smiling mischievously towards him.

"Hello, Fullmetal Alchemist." His pretentious voice greeted over them, his staged height making it loom over them. Edward raised a brow at him, finding him quite useless based on his looks. Until he saw the glimmer in his right hand's middle finger.

A red stone.

The Philosopher's Stone.

The sixteen-year-old grinned widely; eyes sharp and sparkling. "Doesn't matter. We found what we're looking for."

Alphonse and Catherine's gazes followed suit and saw the priest, who lifted his pope staff and nudged the ground beneath him with it; then the red stone on his hand glowed and in a second, the dead bird in front of him wiggled to life. Then flew.

Their eyes widened in horror.

"The Philosopher's Stone. He has the stone, brother." Al said, taking a step back after he saw the power it yielded.

"Yes. Finally, after all these years…" The blond's smile became wider, lines of greed appearing in the corners of his gold eyes.

"Were you looking for the Son of Leto, young man? Well, he stands before you now!" He said with raised, proud hands, honoring his round, fat self.

"No, actually, we're talking about the Philosopher's Stone in your hand. Give it to us if you still want to live." The threat casually rolled off his tongue; his hand turning to a gesture of 'hand it over'. A quick slap on the head is what he received. Edward looked back and glared at the culprit.

"Al! Can't you see I'm negotiating here?" He reprimanded, rubbing his offended skull.

"That's not how negotiating works! This'll end into one ruckus after another if you continue to talk like that!" Al whispered/shouted at his older brother.

"What do you want me to do? Transmute some flowers and beg him to give us the stone? Fuck no! I'd rather fight all his fucking robed cult members than that!"

"We have to compromise with him. We know his secret. If we get him to admit that, and threaten him to let the whole city know, then we can arrive at a compromise with him." Alphonse quickly formulated; his voice quiet and calculating.

"That…is one impressive, thoroughly thought out plan for once in our lives." Catherine praised, quite surprised at gentle Al's impish thinking. If he had a face right now, he would be giving an impish grin as well.

He tapped his chest plate with his gauntlet finger. "Let me talk first and just go with it." He trusts his brother's impulsive speeches for this situation. They might be able to go through the Colonel's orders if they follow through Al's plan.

"Sorry, children, but I don't have all day to entertain you. Father Cornello has a lot of service to do in the city." He announced over the trio and he touched the railing in front of him, letting the red Philosopher's Stone reflect the light.

To Edward, it was really like he was teasing him to cut his arm off just to obtain the stone, which he would really love to do right now.

"Just give us the stone then we'll be on our way. We won't tell anyone about your plans." Alphonse suggested, taking a step forward with open arms.

Catherine shot the armor a look, trying to guess his intended flow of plan. She squinted her eyes in realization and glanced back at the priest.

"Making a deal with God?" The chubby priest spat then cackled with sheer humor, throwing his head back as he did. Edward's right eye made the smallest twitch.

"You're not fooling me, state alchemist. You are not getting out of here alive!" He pointed at Alphonse then laughed more maniacally.

Al paled at that, seeing where this is going. _Oh no….not this mistake again! This will totally flip brother out! _He shot a nervous glance at his brother, who was already boiling with rage.

"I'm the Fullmetal Alchemist, dammit!" The sixteen-year-old yelled, ready to murder Cornello, who looked at him with honest surprise. "The beansprout is the Fullmetal Alchemist?!"

Two more veins popped at Ed's temples, his eyes burning with fury. "Shut up, you third-rate! The Philosopher's Stone is degrading its power around you so just hand it over to us!"

Cornello gave out another hoot, mockingly this time. "And what will you do with it? Give it to the military? The city will be in safer hands with the Philosopher's Stone in my hands, the true son of God Leto!"

"What are you going to do with it? Bring back the dead like what you promised Rose?" Catherine's question reached the insides of Alphone's armor. Rose listened attentively, finding herself more awake this time.

"Even a lowlife like you would know that it is impossible to bring someone back to life." Catherine's insult jolted some anger inside Rose.

"With the power of God in my hands, I can do anything." Father Cornello pointed out and would've flipped some hair if he wasn't that bald.

"Stop shitting with us already, you third-rate bastard! We know all about the power of the stone, that's why we want it too." Cornello gazed down at him with a straight frown, and Edward knew he got him.

"So just give us the stone, and I won't tell anyone, not even the military, about everything you've done here. You can keep your throne as the _Son of Leto _and live happily ever after." Edward continued, a smirk tugging at the side of his lips.

Cornello smirked back.

"Power is not something that is just asked for, little Fullmetal Alchemist. It is obtained from sacrifices. Equivalent exchange, isn't it? I'm sure a state alchemist like you would know that law by heart already." The priest mused. The referred alchemist balled his fists into tight balls, his mouth turning into a full frown.

"Please, we don't want to hurt you." Alphonse intervened, seeing how the priest was able to pluck a serious nerve on his big brother.

"Someone like you, who uses the stone to manipulate other people…" Ed started and taking strides towards Cornello's stage.

"Does not know a _thing _about Equivalent Exchange! So why don't you get your fat ass down here and I'll show you how real alchemy and equivalent exchange looks like! You motherfucking hack job!" The blond exploded, his golden eyes flashing with anger.

Catherine glanced at the cage nearest to her, the growling inside growing louder than before. Alphonse, on the other hand, glanced at his brother. At this rate, they have no choice but to fight. He was fooling himself for thinking they could do this in his ideal, peaceful ways.

"We will tell all the people of Liore! You won't get away with this, Cornello!" Alphonse threatened firmly. The priest only laughed heartily once again. "The people of Liore are dazzled by the power of this stone. With this, I have given them the promise of not only eternal life, but also never-ending glory! Prosperity! What better soldiers than those who are willing to throw away their lives!" His eyes glowed with insanity. Alphonse gave the redhead girl beside him a quick side glance. _It's working. _His glance said.

"These people are my pawns to take out your military! They will listen to no one but me!" He finished his monologue with a loud and triumphant laughter.

"But they might listen to her." Cornello stopped mid-laugh, then looked back down and saw Rose, one of his faithful followers, getting down from the armor's opened chest plate. His eyes almost popped out of his head, which Edward laughed at this time.

"You really are a third-rate priest, aren't you?" Edward mused this time, his golden eyes sparkling with mischievous delight.

"Father Cornello…what you said…" Rose began shakily, looking up at the servant of God whom she believed all this time. Cornello's anger-rippled face slowly turned straight again. There's no use of keeping the girl. She already heard too much. "This leaves me no choice. I'm sorry that you have to face such fate, Rose. I didn't see you as someone who would be straying into the devil's path." With that, he slammed a hand at something in the slab of cement in front of him. A button.

"Behold, the power of Sun God Leto!" He announced. The ground shook as metal bars of the cages around them lifted. Two pairs of red glowing eyes surrounded the trio, the growling and grinding of sharp teeth surrounded the air. Edward glared at the elevated priest. "You fucking coward! I told you to come down here and face me yourself!"

Ignoring him, Cornello raised an arm and waved his command. Two enormous beasts emerged from the darkness of the cages.

"Chimeras?" Alphonse noticed the hybrid features of tiger and snake in the huge creatures. And their unnatural glowing red eyes, they were just like Nina's after she was…

"So he made chimeras with the stone." Edward stated in a cold voice, memories of the little brown-haired girl suddenly filling his vision.

"Why is this the first time you've seen a chimera? Hmm? Fullmetal Alchemist?" The priest spat Edward's title like it's poison in his tongue. Ed's golden eyes hazed with forthcoming vehemence. "It's just one of the wonderful things the Son of God Leto can do!" He boasted and laughed all the more.

"SHUT UP!" Cornello went silent at the new outrageous voice in the room. He looked down and found the deathly glare from the rather small redheaded girl who stayed silent until now.

She could practically see murder right before her eyes, as this man just sabotaged any chance of him living this day on. Catherine balled her fists and glared at the priest above them, which she regarded now as fresh meat to kill. "I'm sorry, but I have to kill him." She told them, her eyes hard and immovable. If it's not the stone, Catherine's first priority is to kill anyone who is involved in making more chimeras like Nina. In making more fates like hers.

Nervousness filled Alphonse. If it's both his brother and Catherine who are ticked off, the day won't end in any gentleness at all.

Father Cornello grinned, sneer amusement written all over his features as he gazed down at the energetic young ones before him. Did the military send these children to take down the Son of God? They must be foolish if they think this will stop him.

"You shall now see the true power of God." He announced, and raced a hand.

"_Get the fuck down here and I'll show what true power is!" _Edward hollered and practically jumped in his place as if the action will launch him to the bastard's high stage.

"Slaughter them!" With that command and a wave of his hand, the salivating chimeras lunged at the trio.

Alphonse quickly grabbed Rose by her body and ran for safety. The dark-haired girl tried to shout a question, but was halted by Al's "We need to get you out of here!"

Edward dodged to right corner of the arena, near the cage where the onyx-furred beast came from. As he took a good look at it, there was no doubt that the monster was a fusion of a tiger and a boar, since among the black hair are white and orange strips of a wild tiger. Long, smooth hair served as its mane. Ed didn't need to blink to figure out where it came from.

"You want a fight? I'll be fucking glad to give you one." He addressed to the mutt who growled in response, its pointed talons taking steps towards him. It let out a loud, ballistic howl and lunged at Edward.

At the sound of teeth ripping clothes, and maybe some skin, Catherine snapped her head to see the six-foot freak of nature gnawing her friend. "EDWARD!" Catherine shouted in panic, as she couldn't see Ed's condition with the humongous monster blocking any sight of him.

Those seconds of attention almost cost her right arm when her own beast opponent attacked with its wicked fangs of ten inches. If she didn't get herself to sweep to the side, she could've gotten more than a slash on her arm.

Gripping her bleeding arm, she took a moment to glare at the monster and its hideously combined body parts of lion and bear. Fusing it with a bear made it humongous like what Ed's fighting with, and with its enhanced fangs, it sure would be tricky to tame it down.

As it growled more ferociously, Catherine guessed it would attack again soon. Maybe cut her arm off this time. Quickly popping a kaiken from her pant's secret pocket, she touched the small transmutation circle on the hilt briefly and threw it to the animal. It let out a howl of pain as the weapon pierced its eye.

The kaiken then started to emanate blue electric lights, morphing to a longer blade to squeeze through the beast's cornea. The lion-bear monster rolled in the floor as the weapon now expanded in width, cutting through the top of its head.

Rose screamed, her eyes gradually dilating as her vision began to be covered in white spots of impending unconsciousness. Alphonse grabbed her by the shoulder and dragged her to a corner. Pushing her down to a kneeling position, the younger Elric knelt before her and placed his gauntlet hands on her slight shoulders. She slowly gazed up at his glowing red eyes, almost screaming again at thought of him being nothing better than these monsters when his gentle voice cut through her thoughts. "Stay here, Rose. I have to help my brother and friend. I'll come back for you, okay?"

"But…" She mumbled, truly scared. Her mind was scattered, and might her faith as well. She heard Father's words loud and clear.

"I promise I'll come back." Al reassured her. Seeing it calmed her down a little, Alphonse went back to his feet and ran towards the fight.

Cornello smiled as he watched one of his creations eat the infamous Fullmetal Alchemist before his eyes, sadistic mirth dancing in them. The girl might be skilled enough to take down one of his chimeras, but she's badly injured now to be of any help of her dying friend. Not being able to help himself, he chuckled, excited for his triumph. _This is only the start, state military!_

"Cath!" The seven-foot armor called and he saw his friend whirled her attention from her make-shift bandage on her arm.

"What's the matter, you stupid cat?" It seemed like Edward's harsh and cold question startled the tiger-boar monster and its creator. The furry animal's eyes stared at Edward with confusion, its carnal desire slowly turning into fear as his strong bites just don't seem to go through Edward's mysterious arm.

Cornello leaned forward from his stage, squinting his eyes on Edward's direction. He could still see the chimera scratching and grunting its teeth. "Impossible! You should be dead by now!" He yelled with disbelief. What kind of person will still be alive after that carnal attack?!

Ed continued to stare at the monster with a mix of hatred and revulsion as it relentlessly chewed his automail arm. "Can't get a good taste?" Already tired of playing, the young alchemist lifted his arm a bit higher in the air, together with the biting mutt whose feet are now inches from the ground. He then shoved the animal to the side like it's some useless sack of potatoes. It purred, tamed with pain and fear.

The chimera was not fazed much yet by its fear and lunged at Edward for another attack, this time biting his left calf.

"Brother!" Alphonse screamed and ran for his older brother but was halted by Catherine's blocking arm. "Let him be. He's pissed at this Cornello." Besides, it got the wrong leg.

The gigantic rascal was yet again gnawing at another impenetrable flesh, confusing it all the more. It's Edward's turn to growl with impatience and fury. "Enough games." He muttered under his breath and snatched his leg from the beast then kicked it in the head, which slammed to the ground with a loud, reverberating thud. It now whimpered in true distress.

"Impossible! After those attacks!" Cornello sputtered out, clearly taken aback. The Fullmetal Alchemist now stood before Father Cornello, his red Flamel jacket and black leather coat torn to shreds, revealing the glinting white silver beneath it. His left pant leg was also glimmering in the light, and it wasn't long enough when the priest noticed that his limbs were made out of..

"Automail! Your limbs are of automail!" He exclaimed in realization then smiled. Then heartily laughed at all the fuss he went through this.

"I see now! You trespassed the house of God! You're a sinner who committed the forbidden Human Transmutation!" He announced then guffawed with his head thrown back.

Rose's eyes widened in terror as she confirmed the priest's words in Edward's now visible metal limbs and…Al's empty armor.

"And that armor, it's empty, isn't it?" Alphonse bowed his helmet as if to confirm.

Cornello is now grinning from ear to ear. "You see now, Rose, this is what happens when you stray to the path of the devil. These people are the very example of evil!"

Alphonse took a step forward, and began defiantly, "You don't know anything! We just-"

"Al, stop." Edward ordered, his eyes hidden in his long bangs. Taking the remains of his jacket, Ed removed it completely and threw it to the ground. His automail arm and leg together with his metal hard expression now glinted against the dim light before everyone in all its glory.

"This is what you get from trying to bring someone back to life." Edward said through a whisper as he made a fist with his automail hand. It shined before Rose's eyes. Terror began to crawl in her spine.

"We just wanted to see her smile again…" Alphonse said reverently, his large gauntlet hands clenching at his sides. Catherine glanced at them, her pity for them years ago reliving inside her chest.

"Do you really want this?! To give your whole life for this just to bring back someone who is already dead?! The dead cannot be brought back to life, Rose."

"Do not believe what these devils are spouting-"

"YOU! SHUT UP!" Edward yelled with so much intensity that a wave of fury seemed to have shoved the priest a step back. The sixteen-year-old glowered at him, teeth gnarling with pure hatred.

"_Come down here or I'll drag your third-rate piece of shit and tear it into fucking third-rate pieces!" _He burst out with angry veins popping in his neck. Cornello ignored him. "What are you waiting for? Finish him!" The whimpering chimera forced itself to get on its feet, growling once more.

"Now for a final touch of this little show." With that Cornello raised his hand bearing the stone ring. It glowed with life and soon the ground where the trio were standing turned into fine-grained sand.

Edward and Catherine managed to stay on their ground, the wave pushing them more apart from each other. "Brother! Cath!" Both of them turned to Alphone's call of help and saw half of his armor buried in the strong waves of sand.

"Alphonse!" Edward cried and started to run for him when the tiger-boar chimera crawled in front of him to block his way. "Damn it! Move it!" He said then slammed his hands to the sandy floor then lifted one as blue lights emitted around it, slowing forming a spear.

This new trick surprised Cornello from his elevated stage yet again. "Alchemy without circles?!"

"I'll go get Al! Take care of the bastard chimera!" Catherine volunteered then ventured through the still moving sand ground.

Upon hearing that, Edward focused his weapon on the monster before him and took his stance. After a moment, he saw its paws readying for a pounce. With that he backed his spear a bit, waiting for the beast to jump with anticipation. When it did, Edward swung his weapon in the air and cut through the chimera's neck. The furry creature fell to the ground with a death thud, his large body now drenched in its own crimson blood.

"I see now why the military have a kid like you. With that exceptional alchemy…" Cornello pondered. The referred youngest state alchemist spun around to glare daggers at him.

"What about you, young girl? Seeing you're with these unfortunates of nature, you must have lost something too, hmm?" Cornello mused at Catherine with mild amusement. Examining her more closely, he noticed she didn't have any physical abnormalities like the brothers.

"What is it? An organ? Or perhaps, your soul?" Her red eyes glazed with cold rage. Alphonse knew that look all too well. She began to stroll forward, her immovable ruby eyes never leaving Cornello.

"I'm done playing games." Cath declared, two pairs of kaikens occupying her hands which were empty a second ago.

"Cath, no!" Alphonse cried and reached out for her.

Before Catherine can get any further, the priest alchemist raised his ringed hand. Red bright lights elicited from it, morphing a huge machine gun out of the small metal of the ring.

Catherine halted in her steps, looking at the deformed, but effective looking piece of arsenal embedded in Cornello's hand. "Amazing. It can surpass equivalent exchange somehow." Edward commented, his eyes glued on the Philosopher's stone on the monk's hand.

"I'm done playing, too." Father Cornello said with a wicked smile, then began raining bullets on the arena, more on the trio's general direction. Smoke of dust and sand began to cloud below him, obscuring any concrete view of the children. If there are still anything concrete left on them after that attack. Convinced that might be the case now, he stopped the machine gun and transmuted his ring back to normal. It drew a satisfied grin across his wrinkly face.

The smoke gradually thinned down and the priest's smile grew bigger with anticipation of the lifeless Fullmetal Alchemist. He couldn't wait to see the holes on his flesh and pathetic automail limbs.

The smoke finally subsided.

The mental picture of victory running in his head was destroyed by a slab of wall with dented holes on its surface, blue electric lights still lingering at its sides. His grin turned into an ugly scowl. "You little brats!" Edward gave out a low chuckle at that. "Close call." Rose quivered from under Al's embracing arms. The said armor checked his brother, whose hands are still on the wall transmuted on the last minute. "Where's Catherine?" He panicked a little, seeing no sign of his friend until a blur passed his peripheral vision.

He quickly turned his helmet on that direction and saw Catherine running towards Cornello, two daggers in each hand. "Catherine!" The armor's call caught Cornello's attention and finally saw the girl approaching him, who was already in the air to throw her knives at his face. The priest let out a distressed shout and transmuted a shield wall seconds before the daggers reached his face.

He grinned at his successful defense but wasn't long celebrated when the redheaded girl appeared behind him. "Well hello there." He felt his eyes almost popping out of their sockets when she kneed his spine, hard. Before his body could fall to the ground, Catherine grabbed the back of his robes then spun him around. Grabbing his front, she slammed his back against the transmuted wall.

Before any tricks could be done, the young alchemist grabbed the hand with the Philosopher's Stone then crushed some bones in her fist. Cornello let out a dreadful scream. She threatened a kaiken millimeters from his eye with her other hand. "Use that Philosopher's Stone again and I'll scrape your eye off." She stated in a very cold voice, void of any emotion but that of hate. Cornello knew the sound very well and did not dare to transmute a single spike.

"Now, you were asking what I lost, is that right?" She asked in a whisper. Cold sweat beaded at the sides of his face as he gazed down at the girl's solid crimson eyes. "You have a good hunch about the soul so I'll tell you." She offered, the force on his breaking bones tightening. The priest whimpered, already on the verge of crying. "Please…" His shaky voice quaked.

The kaiken went down then stab the priest's shoulder blade, the sharp metal tearing through flesh loud and clear on Cornello's ears. He let out a pained cry of agony. "I lost mercy for lowlifes like you." She drew out the length of the weapon out of the fresh wound, making the man scream in another fit of pain with gushing blood this time.

Quickly spinning the hilt of the dagger around her free hand, she pointed the end towards his neck this time. "How about we try stabbing your neck this time?"

"Catherine! Stop this! We can't kill him!" Her jaw tensed at the sound of Al's voice, distracting her a little. That's all it took for Cornello to grab the remote in his robe pocket with his good hand and pressed a button.

Alarms began to noise the area. It didn't take too long before a troop of armed monks began milling into the arena. "Minions!" Edward yelled as he and Al climbed the stage through their transmuted stairs. Her distracted glance towards the brothers was again taken by the priest as a chance to transmute his ring into a thin-barreled gun. It was pointed on her head. Noticing the clicking sound from just atop her head, Catherine stabbed another wound on his already injured shoulder. Cornello's painful howl ruined his aim but the gun still made its shot.

The bullet went straight to Catherine's left arm.

"_Catherine!" _Al and Ed yelled. The redhead alchemist grabbed her bleeding arm as she took a step back from the priest. Before she could retaliate, he pounded her skull with his transmuted gun, sending the girl a feet away before crashing to the ground.

"Get away from her!" Edward screamed as he and Al finally reached the stage. Cornello growled then created clouds of smoke around him with his gun. Before the brothers could reach Catherine and the smoke drifted away, the priest was gone with a half conscious and bleeding Catherine on the ground.

"Fuck, are you okay?" She almost rolled her eyes at the standard question of Edward. "I just got shot, goddammit." She cursed and winced when she pulled herself up with the holed arm.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" Ed rebuked as he helped her get on her feet. "I stabbed him two times so he wouldn't be able to move that far. You could at least thank me." She said with an indignant growl. Alphonse's gauntlet hand slapped the back of her skull.

"Are you trying to damage my brain?!" She screeched at the armor for adding more in her already throbbing concussion.

"I swear that's not the only thing you're going to get for being so damn reckless! What the hell is wrong with you? Are you out of your mind?!" Al's loud scolding voice made her speechless. It was very rare that Al uses this tone.

Sighing in exasperation, Al started, "The barriers I made won't hold them for much longer. We need to hurry." He looked at Catherine's broken form. The bleeding of gunshot wound is already gushing out of her knuckles.

"Can you still walk? Run, rather?" Catherine nodded, biting the inside of her cheek to channel the pain away from her arm. It's working quite effectively. "He didn't hit me in the head that hard…" She said, giving Al a pointed look. "I should be able to get the bullet out by hand but since he shot me in short range, I think it got buried pretty deep." She explained, beads of sweat forming at the sides of her face. "I need someone to tweeze it out or-"

"I think I'll be able to help." Three heads turned to look at Rose. She walked towards them with a determined expression.

"We need to get away first. Come, I know where to go."

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Dots of flickering torches of the forming mob of search patrol decorated the city as the sun began to dip down. Soft clouds filled the sky for the forthcoming night. Obviously looking for signs of a short blond boy, a seven-foot armor and an average red-haired girl. Catherine's empty gaze was interrupted by the stinging pain in her arm as Rose tried eased the bullet out with a pair of tweezers and medicine oil.

"Does it hurt?" The girl asked with such a gentle and feminine voice that it irritated Catherine because it actually made her feel better. "No, not at all. Is it almost out?" She looked down at her work and saw the head of bullet already coming out of the swell of her wound.

"Yeah, just a little more. Are you sure you don't want some pain killers?" Rose asked while she continued back to her work, her bangs perfectly framing her small face even though she's in a weird angle. Her crumpled curly hair never looked that perfect. Not that she thought of making it perfect up until now.

She dared to look up and saw Alphonse's glowing eyes glued at their direction. Or rather on Rose as she busied herself in nursing her wound. Catherine looked away abruptly then frowned.

"There! It's out." Rose announced then dropped the black bullet and tweezers on the basin. "Now let's clean it up." Getting the disinfectant solution and a fresh cloth, she began to damp the angry swell of the wound. "Ow!" Catherine complained then quickly returned to her stoic expression. Rose smiled at her. "Sorry." She cleansed the wound more gently this time.

Silence hovered in the air as Rose wrapped a white cloth around the wound and Al busied himself with perfecting his handwork beside them.

"There! All set." Rose said cheerily then tied a last secure knot around the bandage. Catherine moved her arm slightly, gauging the remaining swelling. "Thanks." She muttered quietly.

The dark-haired girl shook her head. "No, it's the least I can do. After you have saved me..."

"It was nothing. You were in danger." Alphonse said in a gentle and pointed way he could only do. Rose bowed her head in meek embarrassment. She should be the one thanking them. But it's not her life that she wants…

"Hey if…if you guys managed to get the stone from Father Cornello…can you also revive my boyfriend-"

"We're not reviving anyone." Catherine cut off, eyes darted somewhere else. She could tell, the girl looked confused, her thoughts in a different direction about all of their intentions for the stone.

"But why are you trying to get the stone then? You said in the arena-"

"We just want to get our original bodies back. We will never try to bring our mother back to life again." Alphonse answered her, his clanking armor facing her.

Rose turned even more dumbfounded and a bit vexed. It wasn't what she anticipated. "But what's wrong with trying to see your loved one again? You should try-"

"It's not that it's a sin for wanting to have someone you love back alive so much. I know how strong the feeling is. How immovable the faith that you could do it." Alphonse echoic voice hovered around them like little heavy clouds of an upcoming rainy day. "We learned the hard way, and committed our own mistakes." Memories of his limbless, bleeding brother and a sobbing Catherine momentarily filled his vision. He was glad tears were impossible for him right now.

"So we're moving forward by trying to find a way on how to regain our original bodies back. You should too, Rose. It's for his and your own good." Angry tears filled her eyes at his words.

"No! I promised him that I would bring him back! I can't just-"

"But do you think he'll want that? To have you see him die again? Because that's what will happen, Rose. You'll just make him go through death a second time. And it's a sin with a great price that you have to pay." Alphonse said hardly, curling his unfeeling hands in front of him.

Rose's dark eyes widened in shock realization then gazed down at her feet in shame. "I lost my whole body and brother lost his left leg. He gave up his right arm to bind my soul to this armor." Tears of sorrow flooded her eyes this time. How could he say that without crying?

"We learned the hard way and we don't want the same for you. For anyone." Al said then turned around to look over the city beneath them. Catherine gazed at his back, a straight frown on her face.

_He's crying._

"Live with what you have right now. The memories he left with you will always live. Use those to move forward." Catherine said in a soft voice which perked Al to turn a bit toward her. He seldom hears her so comforting.

"Because not all people…are fortunate enough to have wonderful memories with them." Catherine said with a half- smile towards the girl, who looked at her with a stunned expression. She doesn't know what she exactly lost, but Rose was sure this girl has also sacrificed something. Something that doesn't meet the eye, but as harsh as losing one's limb.

Looking away, she cleared her throat, greatly uncomfortable with the heavy atmosphere. "So anyway, what's the plan exactly?" She inquired over the improvised speaker made out of the stolen bell they got from tower they are currently standing on right now.

"Same plan." Al tapped the speaker. "We wait."

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Leaning his body on the rough cement wall for support, Father Cornello clutched his bleeding shoulder, his hands getting sticky and wet from the blood. The pain was starting to make his vision sway. He has to get to his office, quickly. Panting in exhaustion, the old man continued to heave his limping form to the wooden door of his office. Fumbling with the knob, he finally got it open and pushed himself inside, closing it tightly behind him.

He needs a medicine kit. Fast. The Son of God cannot be wounded like this. He's supposed to be immaculate. Invincible.

Feeling in the wall for the light switch, Cornello finally reached the familiar lever and flicked it open. He then turned around to walk over his desk for the said kit.

In his desk sat a blond sixteen-year-old, shirtless and grinning at him. The Fullmetal Alchemist looked at him with mild amusement. "Why hello there, Father." Edward sneered at him, crossing a leg over the other.

Cornello removed his hand from his wound, trying to look straight in front of this mere child. He cannot let him intimidate him any further. He's the Son of Leto!

"You little brat. What are you doing in my office?" He bit, glaring at the still grinning state alchemist. Edward's right eye did a small twitch at the word brat, but he willed himself to remain calm and nonviolent.

"Well, Father, don't be mad." Edward started and slightly leaned back on his hands. "I just thought about what you said earlier. About your large scale plan about this desert, useless city." Edward waved a hand around him like the office was the very representation of Liore.

Cornello stared at him, measuring his actions.

"I mean, I just found your plan so brilliant that I want to hear it again. The whole thing this time since I'm really thinking of helping you with it." After his statement, Edward gave Cornello his trademark, wicked smile, where his golden eyes darken with sadistic pleasure.

Cornello's own mischievous smile crawled up to his face. "I never would've thought you would come into these terms, dog of the military." He said with delight surprise, but the bleeding wound in his shoulder reminded him one important point. "But your friends, especially that wench-"

"I've talked to my brother about this and he agreed. As for Catherine, we _disposed _her for being so recklessly violent. We apologized for what she did." Ed said with a sympathetic frown towards the priest, who nodded for him to continue.

"Psh, forget the military. They don't give me anything I want." The Fullmetal Alchemist informed with a dismayed expression. "So then Father, how about a rerun of that plan? So we can get started with it."

Cornello smiled back, all teeth showing.

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"I think it's time." Alphonse announced then pressed the button beside the bell speaker. It gave out a loud, deafening feedback for a few seconds, making Rose and Catherine to cover their ears as much as they could.

It toned down then signaled out two voices, which are now being heard by them and all the citizens of Liore.

"…about a rerun of that plan? So we can get started with it." They heard a voice said, then followed by a low chuckle by another.

"Is that…Ed?" Rose asked, kind of bewildered.

"Yes. He's acting to get Cornello to talk." Alphonse stated in a as-a-matter-of-factly way. The girl looked at the speaker, now amazed. "He sounds so convincing." She commented in a daze.

"Yep. He's a sick, sick dude." Catherine supplied with a nod.

"What do you call yourself then? Demented?" Alphonse blurted out at her. The referred demented girl shot him a hateful glare for the sudden rebuke. "What are you picking me on for?"

"You stabbed Cornello! Twice! It wasn't part of the plan! And on top of that you nearly killed yourself!" Alphonse said defiantly and took a strong stand in front of her bandaged and injured form.

"Are we still talking about this? It didn't kill him! And it slowed him down from getting away!" The Ederson girl reasoned between angry teeth, her eyes blaring at him.

"It nearly killed _you!" _

"Well, I'm still alive, aren't I? Why can't you be happy about that for now?" Catherine shouted, her neck craned up to meet his hard glare.

"Guys, listen." Rose beckoned them to pay attention to Cornello's next words. The arguing teens broke from one another's glares and turned to the bell speaker.

"…these people are sacrifices for the glory of Son of Leto! The Philosopher's Stone is just one way to drive them to this given fate! They are here to serve me, Cornello, the Son of Leto!"

"But I thought you promised them eternal life?" They heard Edward asked oh-so-innocently.

"Faith is what I give them. The faith that makes them believe eternal life!" All of the people of Liore, including Richard the bartender, stared at their own radios emanating these words in the voice of Cornello with sheer awe. Everything in the city went still as the broadcast continued.

"But what's your plan with the military? They will sure have a sniff about this sooner or later." Edward led on, his voice almost laughing.

Cornello stepped further into the room and raised both of his, his robe falling about him like wings. "The people's faith on me are the key in eradicating the military! With their belief of eternal life and glory, they will be soldiers without the fear of death! They will become my army as I take over Amestris!" He then finished with a loud, maniacal cackle, his chest vibrating with each fit.

The boy on the table followed suit, though his laughter was filled with mocking mirth. He slapped a hand in his thigh to emphasize it more, which was now noticed by Cornello who halted his own fits.

"You find my plan _funny?_" The priest asked with rage, then realized where this is all going.

"You don't believe this plan will work, don't you? Just so you wait, Fullmetal-"

"Oh no, Father. It went perfectly well." Edward immediately said with one chuckle and showed him a remote in his hands. It's the remote for the radio broadcast. Frozen, he looked down at his feet and saw the microphone lying idly in front of him. "Falling for the same trick, twice? You really are a third-rate, aren't you?" Edward mused and hopped from his seat on the table.

"_NOOO-"_

Alphonse turned the speaker off as the broadcast stopped. "I hope you understand now Rose, what Cornello really wanted to do. Even something as powerful as the Philosopher's Stone can't bring the dead back to life." Rose made a small nod, her brows knotted as she gazed over the dimming horizon.

The microphone head crushed under foot as Cornello glowered at the blond sixteen-year-old. "Edward Elric. I am going to kill you right here, right now." His ringed right hand glowed red and in seconds it was transmuted into another machine gun. "_DIE!"_

Before he could even start the trigger, Edward was in front of him and grabbed the front of his hand-gun with his automail hand. The youngest state alchemist of Amestris glowered at him, his teeth grinding with vehemence.

"I'm not like you, hack job." He sneered at the priest, tightening automail hold starting to create webs of cracks along the length of Cornello's machine gun. "I don't fall for the same trick again." With that, the Fullmetal Alchemist grunted one last push of force on his fist, sending the transmuted gun into bits of metal. "Third-rate metal is nothing compared to high-end automail." He said through gritted teeth then kicked the man to the floor.

Cornello glanced fearfully at the remains of his weapon then back up at Edward Elric, who was looming over him. "Monster…you're a monster! The devil!" The priest wailed then started to back-paddle.

"Oh _shut up! _Just give me the fucking ring!" Edward Elric groaned impatiently then snatched Father Cornello's arm bearing the Philosopher's Stone.

Then it started to recoil, sending alchemic energies along Cornello's forearm veins. The said priest cried in pain. He looked in terror as the ring started to mend itself to his skin, the glowing red stone slowly freeing itself from its metal crown.

"What's this? A rebound?" Ed breathed, observing the throbbing hand in his grip. Growling, he took the priest by the front of his robe. "What the hell is happening to the stone? It's supposed to be perfect material!" He asked him, desperate vexation filling him as he shook him hard for an answer. "Answer _me! Dammit!" _He ordered the whimpering priest with such ferocity that he shivered with sweat. "I-I don't know! I don't know!" He replied with tears.

The crimson stone finally fell from its hold to the ground. Edward gazed down at it and saw it vanish into tiny specs. Then into nothingness.

His eyes hazed with pure, adulterated malevolence.

* * *

A/N: Ok, I'm so sorry to cut this off here, but the other half has some serious twists in it so this chapter will be ridiculously long if I still put it here haha. Well, I hope to see you guys on the next installation of this story! :D


	25. Liore II

A/N: It seems like not so much people are supporting this story anymore aside from the follows and favorites it has been receiving every now and then But oh well, I will still continue this since this is my first baby! Been writing this for more than 4 years already(of course with a lot of procrastination and sticky schedules in between) and the real fun's just getting started!

I hope you enjoy ^^

Chapter 25 – Liore II

Grabbing the remnants of the priest's front robe, Edward hurled Cornello towards him and banged his temple against his hard one. He let out a whimper of pain before his eyes rolled up into unconsciousness. Dropping him to the ground with a thud, the Fullmetal Alchemist kicked the man's shoulder with a grunt of curses.

"Useless. Just useless. I _should_ just kill you." He fumed, eyes still pouring with insatiable fury as his mismatched hands curled into fists. He wanted to, so badly, but he just _couldn't. _The third-rate priest is still a human who just had taken the glory to piss him off to the roots of his hair. Not good enough reason to kill him.

"Brother!" Snapping out of his murderous reverie, Ed managed to drone out his glare and stared after Al's approaching armor, a patched up Catherine striding next to him.

"So? Where's the stone?" Alphonse asked eagerly, expecting the red shining stone in one of his hands. But there was none.

Edward frowned, then stalked pass them. "It was a fake. I should've known he had a third-rate Philosopher's Stone as well." He sauntered with a sigh, not really having the strength to see the disappointment of his little brother.

"It-It was a fake?" The younger Elric almost yelp in disbelief, his broad armor shoulders drooping down. Catherine let hers slump tiredly as well, glancing over her bandaged wounds. "Just another wild, wild goose chase." She peeked up at her friend. Over the years they've been together, she could read him like an open book despite the static metal body.

It has been a while since she saw him this disenchanted, like a kid who didn't get his expected birthday present. She couldn't blame him. They all believed this was the end of their search.

"We could kill him now that he's utterly useless." She said seriously, eyes pointing coldly at the knocked out Cornello. She wanted to do that the moment words came out of his mouth.

"Let's just pack and get the hell out of here." Edward called over, completely dismissing her idea that had occurred to him moments ago.

"Right." Alphonse replied and started to follow his brother.

Ignoring the havoc of broken glass and concrete littering the church grounds here and there, the trio continued to walk through the halls of office doors then finally to the church proper where bullets and broken pieces of ceramics decorated the floor.

"Don't be so down. At least we saved this town from that lunatic." She tried to comfort, hooking each thumb to her pants' pockets as they walked side by side. It's so bothersome to see Alphonse dazed with displeasure. It's either Edward or her or both who always dote on almost every bad thing. Since her other partner is doing his part with Al this time, it kind of pressured her to be the one to 'keep things going' as Al would have mentioned right about now.

"Yeah." The armor echoed with a long heave of a tired sigh. "I was just expecting that-"

"Yeah, I know. And you still should, since we are getting your bodies back as soon as we find that damned stone. We'll sweep every nook of the world if we have to." She lightly like it was as possible as breathing.

Al nodded, smiling to himself. They were finally out of the church when someone shouted at them from a distance. "Wait!" Catherine heard it first, halting in her steps to search for the voice.

"Wait, Edward!" The voice was nearer and all three heads turned around to see Rose running after them, her white dress dirtied with gray dust.

She stopped in front of them, catching some air for a few moments before she asked, "Did you get the stone?"

Edward frowned, the veins in his neck pulsing as he willed himself to not shout. "Forget the stone. Nothing could bring the dead back to life. Learn to accept it." He gritted out then was about to walk away when Rose stepped closer and yelled,

"You just want the stone for yourselves!" Her dark eyes were blazing with desperation.

No one answered or retorted her and it took Rose a moment to realize the tears rolling freely on her cheeks. But she didn't care. She has to bring him back.

"I'm sorry, Rose. The stone was a fake." Alphonse said softly and offered a gentle hand on her shoulder from which she flinched away. She searched the eyes of the alchemists before her, all of them emanating cold pity.

Strength left her legs and she fell on her knees, feeling the world break apart before her. She promised – she promised Kain that she'll bring him back. And they'll be together again.

"What-what am I supposed to do now?" She asked shakily then snapped back to the trio looking down on her. "What am I supposed to do now?" She asked, begging an answer from them. Edward shook his head then turned back on his tracks.

"_Tell me!_" Rose hollered after the Fullmetal Alchemist's retreating back which tensed at her outburst. More tears dribbled along her face. "Please, tell me." She cried, despair masking her voice.

"Stand up and move forward." Edward started, startling Rose from her sorrowful reverie.

"You got two good legs; you should get up and use them." With that, the youngest state alchemist continued down the road. Rose watched him go, the way his mismatched arms swaying along his confident determined body.

"Try his advice. Everything just goes after that." Looking up, she saw Catherine's stoic face gazing down at her.

"Usually." She added with a shrug. Without another word, she turned away and followed Edward's path.

Alphonse sighed and peeked down at girl who was still shivering through tears. If she only knew that his two other companions were just too sensitive with crying people thus the walking away.

"We…have been through a lot, Rose. Especially Ed," Al began. Forcing herself wearily, she turned her eyes to the armor kneeling in front of her. It was hard to believe that someone so placate had gone through the pain of losing his whole body.

"He just doesn't want anyone to make the same mistake we did. So I hope you'll take his words to heart. To move forward." With that, Alphonse stood up, satisfied that some dark mist around the girl's face lightened somehow.

"Take care, Rose." Clanking footsteps started to tickle her ears which started to get fainter and fainter as she continued to kneel on the ground.

After what seems like hours, the girl decided to get back to her feet. Before her were the shrinking figures of the alchemists who changed her life in a span of a day.

The people who made her realize that she has a life to live, not a responsibility to get someone else's back.

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"Ah, what a pity."

Those were the first words to register in Cornello's brain as he slowly regained some senses. Groaning at the throbbing concussion, not to mention the gushing wound on his shoulder, the priest willed himself to sit up.

His vision, fading from blurred to normal, finally recognized the figures above him. They were watching him, one of them laughing in excitement.

"Give-give me another stone." He stammered out when he finally realized that his dark allies have come to his rescue. Everything is not over yet. He could still be the Son of Leto who have defeated the devils of the military-

"He's right, you know." Cornello flinched. He didn't know what she meant, but it definitely was not the answer he was expecting. Snapping his head up, he saw them looking down at him, like he was some useless trash.

"You are a third-rate." She continued then looked away, disgusted.

"Or maybe a fifth-rate. I have no idea why Father would need something like him – a useless human. He's not even an alchemist." The green-haired devil mused with a shrug.

"Can I eat him?" The fat one begged, his huge mouth dripping with saliva. Cornello began to back-paddle away from them. Away from these spawns of the devil. He should have known they're going to betray him like this.

"Leto will punish you for this!" He cried with unashamed fear, sweat and tears wetting his face. The fat monster began to crawl towards him, not understanding a word he said. He was food. Foods are not supposed to be noisy.

"Are you sure you want to eat a fifth-rate? You might get a stomachache." The woman warned and walked away towards the balcony. But the fat devil was not listening anymore as it opened its gigantic mouth, ready to pounce on Cornello. He screamed and begged for his life but as soon as the mouth tore his head off the body, the noise subsided to that of chewing and slurping.

"Just make sure to clean up after you eat, Gluttony."

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The way to the inn was a tedious exertion. People are thrown to chaotic assemblies of search patrols to punish the fraud of a priest who have deceived them for years. Aside from the looks and greetings they got from the passing people – at least they're not hunting for them now – Edward was feeling a bit claustrophobic from the endless swarm of people caging them.

He was controlling his still untamed rage when a rather hard bump against his flesh shoulder shoved him a few steps back.

"Who the fuck was that?" Edward barked and swiveled wildly to find the culprit he's about to pounce.

"Calm down, Brother. We don't want any more attention than we already have." Al reasoned and pushed his brother forward. Catherine let out a tired puff of breath and followed the Elrics in tow.

"That bastard Cornello. He has some nerve to call all of us after what he has done. He should be running for his life." Catching that from her left side, Catherine stopped from her tracks. Looking around, she finally spotted the pair of construction men chatting as they prepare their axes.

"I'm going to slaughter him! He ain't going to deceive us anymore!" The bulky man slashed his ax in the air for emphasis.

"We should just burn the square so we can send him straight to hell!" The other mused and the two joined the multitudes of crowd heading the same way.

To the Town Square.

Without a second thought, Catherine joined the crowd.

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After a few more shoves and calming his older brother, they finally got out of the wild torrent of people and reached the road towards the inn. The lobby was still filled with talks about the current events, the people lounging in the comfort of the inn turns out to be a couple of dreadful travellers not wanting to get back here ever again.

"Hey, Al, do you have the keys?" Ed asked as he turned up on the armor.

"No brother, I don't have them. Hey Cath-" Alphonse stopped himself and looked around, trying his best to spot the redheaded girl. The lobby was small, and she's nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Catherine?" Edward raised his brow and searched around as well.

"I could've sworn I saw her just behind us earlier." Striding through the lobby once more, the brothers went out and stared after the road they took minutes ago. Alphonse pondered on the road ahead, that sight of a missing Catherine nudging his mind with paranoia.

"Maybe we lost her in the crowd. I'll go look for her. Try asking the receptionist for an extra set." With that, Al started his way back to the city proper and left Edward before he could retort anything back.

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After reaching the square and dislodging herself from the rigorous and rather violent mob, Catherine settled herself in a wall a little away from the crowd. Looking at the slab of stage at the north side of the square, it looks like the priest hasn't made his entrance yet.

Massaging her temples, the redheaded alchemist cursed and tried to drone away the noise and buzz of the gathered city people. It must be a concussion that fucking third-rate Cornello gave her earlier. She really should have just killed him; maybe scraped his eyes and brains off his head for good measure.

Gathering her thoughts despite the impending migraine, Catherine tried to formulate an idea on how the hell Cornello called out the crowd when he was preoccupied with them before Edward knocked him out cold? Judging from his state, he shouldn't be up and about for the next two hours. So…how?

Something passed her and she snapped around – slapping herself mentally for the sudden movement raised the pounding pain in her skull even more – blurring her vision a bit. Despite that, she was certain that she saw a flutter of black robes at the edge of the alley a block away from her.

"Do we really need this city? We could just turn them all into stone." Cornello bemoaned and looked at his form in disgust. "Rather than let me go through this pathetic form." The woman sighed, clearly worn out by her companions' childish mentality.

"Father specifically ordered to not dry out the resources. Be patient." Frowning at that, he muttered something under his breath and adjusted the layers of his priest robes. He never understood why Cornello has to wear such in a desert town. He never really understood the logic of humans.

"I really should've just killed you." Cornello and his two black-clad companions twirled around and saw a young girl standing before them, the confusion in her eyes not suppressed as she assessed Cornello.

"Since you're a tough nail to hammer down." She added and took note of the priest's perfect condition as if the earlier encounters with them never happened. Paying attention to the people with him, she noticed their peculiar black-clad figures and-

The pain in her head grew ten folds in a split second, making her clutch the hair off her head and fall on her knees. _What's this? He didn't hit me that hard. _She wondered to herself, trying to lift her gaze towards Cornello.

"Who's this girl supposed to be?" Cornello questioned, his tone bored.

"I believe she is a friend of the Fullmetal Alchemist. You should read our documents more thoroughly, Envy."

"Should I eat her? I like girls. They're soft. Very soft." The short, fat fellow beside them offered, slowly making his way towards Catherine.

The girl's ruby eyes widened in terror as she saw the huge tattooed tongue dangling from his mouth. It was the same tattoo on the woman's chest. Feeling along her pants, she finally got a hold of a kaiken which she swiftly threw in the air. It pierced through the middle of the fat monster's face and he fell to the ground, blood draining out of him.

Cornello whistled. "She's fast." The women beside him watched gleefully. "You got a spirited one here, Gluttony."

Catherine trudged to her feet, not having the slightest idea of what's going on. The woman called Cornello by a different name, and why would the fat guy want to eat her? Why are just they standing there watching their comrade bleed to death? And why is her head throbbing like a motherfucker right now of all times?

And this headache, it reminds her of-

Her thoughts were cut short when the chubby stocky man slowly sat up from his own puddle of blood, the wound where her kaiken sliced through healing with blue electric lights, as if something from inside it was transmuting him back to health.

She watched with horror-gleamed eyes as the kaiken gradually slid off the flesh then clanked soundly on the ground. "What-what are you?" Her trembling voice asked. Grinning, Cornello step backed and white blinding light enveloped him. In a second, he wasn't Cornello anymore, but a green-haired boy wearing the same black clothing, his expression monstrous.

"What? I love seeing the look on their faces before they die." He answered to the woman's silent rebuke with a shrug. "It's fun."

Catherine was about to demand an answer from them when the pain in her head refused to be ignored as it throbbed and knocked wildly on her temples. She clutched her head, her body giving on to its knees once again as she writhed in agony.

_Pound._

She clutched her head tighter, her nails digging her scalp.

_Pound._

This pain…she remembers it from before. But how can-

Endless throbs of pain filled her head then she growled furiously, keeping the tears of agony at bay.

"Is she dying?" He asked with his violet eyes watching the pathetic human girl suffer in her own unknown agony.

She tried to concentrate, keeping her senses alert for what these monsters might do to her despite her incapacitated self.

Then something inside her laughed.

It took a second for her to recognize the familiar voice. When she did, a terrifying scream echoed through the alley.

Envy raised a brow then turned to Lust in askance. The black-clad woman glared at the short man before her who bowed in shame.

"I give you food and you let it kill you? Finish her now. Before anyone sees us." Lust reprimanded with a flip of her wavy hair.

"We'll just kill anyone who sees us." The green-haired sneered.

"That's beside the point, Envy."

The creature named Gluttony crawled its way towards the girl once more, mouth covered in webs of saliva. Once he was a few meters away, he bent down on all fours with perfect huge teeth bared like a famished monster.

Catherine's form shivered, curled tendrils have already escaped from their braid to shadow her face. She seems to ignore the predator a few spaces before her, even her breathing silent from Gluttony's sharp ears.

And Gluttony pounced, a feral howl coming towards her.

Lust smiled and turned on her back. "Let's go, Envy. We have three hundred humans to fool before dawn."

There was no response from her companion. Shooting him a directed glare, Lust repeated, "Let's go, Envy." But the green-haired boy didn't reply again nor moved, his body is in a shocked stance. His once fear-inducing violet eyes are filled with fear itself.

"Envy, what the hell is-" She was stating as she turned back around but cut herself off as she saw the source of terror of her brother.

The small girl who should have already been eaten whole by Gluttony was now standing before them, her mere hand holding Gluttony by the neck, his feet dangling in the air.

"Well, what do we have here? Scrumptious food, all in one form." A gurgling voice with indistinct gender said with delight, solid black eyes gazing at Gluttony's whimpering form hungrily.

Gritting his teeth, Envy roared and launched after Catherine. This fear, he had never experienced it before because he's supposed to be the one installing this feeling on anyone, on _everything_. And if something feared him, it has to be eliminated.

Jumping in the air, he morphed his right hand into his favorite killing sword.

"Envy! Don't!" Lust's warning was heard in the background, but he didn't care. There was no way he would not kill-

He felt himself stop midair then seconds later came the feeling of a strong pressure in his windpipe, choking his air out.

"What's this? What's this? Three meals?" She hollered in pure excitement, her smile terrifying as she peered over Lust.

"_I never thought a banquet would be prepared for me on my first day out of prison! Just magnificent!_" Her rasping voice shouted in a language close to Xerxian, confusing three creatures at her mercy.

Fear. It was piercing deeper through Envy as seconds go by, and it was instilling anger within him . He bared feral canines against Catherine's choke-hold.

"Let me go, you filthy human!" The green-haired boy shouted and forced all his strength to wriggle out of the hold. He wanted to transform to something bigger, but with this tight hold he might just explode to pieces and regeneration will take a while with that.

And for some reason, no matter how hard he tried to transmute himself, the energy won't just come out.

Like-

He felt Lust's long, sharp fingers cut through the air inches away from his face, towards the forehead of the little girl choke-holding them. Grinning, he managed to choke out a laughter, waiting for the blood to pour out of her head until she dies.

But Catherine remained still as a rock until a little chuckle came gurgling from her throat. Envy's green eyes widened in terror as he watched his sister's long and indestructible finger crumble into dust.

"How should I say this…." She began, her shadow-black eyes piercing.

"I'm _very hungry. _And I don't play with my food when I'm hungry." She stated with a huge smile, licking her lips delightedly.


End file.
